Avoid Money Scams

This exact phrase “Put Me On Your Do Not Call List” is the most important phrase in your arsenal against telemarketers.   Federal law requires that telemarketers keep a list of people who have requested to not be called, and using this simple phrase gives you a legal right for them to stop calling.

If you want to get serious with them, though I recommend always being polite, you can also request that they share your “Do Not Call” request with all of their associates, affiliates and related entities.  You can also ask them to send you a copy of their “Do Not Call Policy” and advise them of your legal rights.

Most companies will not have a problem wit your request to be taken off the call list and if you are consistent about your request then over time the telemarketing burden will lighten significantly.

It is bad enough that reasonably intelligent adults fall victims to scams and frauds – after all many advertisers spend their entire lives figuring out how to get you to buy into their products.  In today’s world, however, children are also at risk.

Teach them early to guard their personal information.  In fact, guard it for them.  Most of them have no need of a social security number, and anyone asking a minor for that should be offering them a job.  The same goes for driver’s license information, personal phone numbers and home addresses.  Whenever possible, help them complete any forms that ask for this kind of information rather than having them do it alone.

Monitor their internet usage.  Place the home computer where you can see it, and make it a practice for them to ask you about filling out web forms.  If they have a myspace page or other social network account, subscribe to it so that you can see what is posted and what is not.  It may feel like spying but it could mean the difference between a safe happy adolescence and a nightmare.

www.fightidentitytheft.com has a great deal of excellent information about scams, fraud and identity theft.  If you are looking for more information about dealing with scams and fraud issues, particularly associated with identity theft then you may want to check them out.

I am not affiliated with them in any way so you can take this as an impartial recommendation of their information.  I do not endorse any product available on their site nor do I recommend the purchase of any identity theft product or other fraud protection product.

I have found their site to be a useful resource for myself and would like to share it with my readers.

In the internet age it easy pretty easy to take something on the computer screen at face value – especially if there is a pretty picture to go with the message.  It is easy to forget that a picture is only a picture and words are only words.

One of the easiest checks that a person can do to find out about a company is to find the physical address of the company.  Find the about or contact page and find out where the company is actually located.  What country are they in?  What state?  Is there more than just a P.O. Box to send a check to?

If you want to take it a step further, type that address into google maps (not affiliated).  The new features of google maps can allow you to find a satellite photo of the address.  If the photo shows a residence or a big sign of a different business you may want to think twice before doing business with that web site.

As much as I hate the use of credit cards for everyday purchases simply because of the interest and potential debt hazard, using a credit card can actually help protect you from fraud.

Most credit card companies, and certainly all the reputable ones, have programs in place to protect purchasers from fraud.  For large purchases, you can use your credit card to pay for the purchase and then pay off the credit card before interest begins to accrue.  If there is a problem with the purchase you can call your credit card company to get a refund. 

The credit card company will not pay for a fraudulent purchase and this could save you a lot of trouble and headaches. 

Many internet marketers have decided that scam busting is a profitable venture.  They have realized that people are tired of giving away their money to unscrupulous individuals.  So these same unscrupulous individuals have begun claiming to have been scammed before and that their product is the real thing.

Beware of these kinds of claims.

The emotional plea that a person has been scammed and has learned their lesson and now they are willing to share that lesson with you can be a powerful marketing gimmick.  But it doesn’t make their sob story true and it doesn’t make their product or service legitimate or effective.

The more likely lesson that they learned if they were scammed was just how easy and profitable it is to scam someone else.

Are you tired of receiving those pre-approved credit card offers?  Already in debt up to your eyeballs?  Just plain don’t need a refinance?

Then call

888 567-8688

You can opt out of receiving any credit related offers for the next 2 years, or even permanently.  The automated system will guide you through the necessary steps to stop those offers.  If you change your mind later, you can always opt in again.

If you choose the permanent option there will be a rather nondescript follow-up form sent in the mail.  Be sure to fill it out and send it in or else your choice will be downgraded to the 2 year opt out plan.  Either way this will help stop the flow of junk mail and keeps your information that much more secure.