Avoid Money Scams

There are literally thousands of sites on the internet where you can download all kinds of software. Knowing the warning signs of a site can save you a lot of trouble. Look for a site that has as many user reviews as possible. Steer clear of files that others have not downloaded before you. If the file is untried or untested then it could be a sign that others are avoiding it for some reason. Pay attention to any negative reviews. Owners are likely to spam positive reviews. Those who get burned will put up negative comments. Pay attention to them and to any replies. Look for owners who have a history of putting up solid content. Get files from familiar territory. Avoid illegal downloads. Often these files contain viruses, tracking software or other nasty tidbits that can make your life miserable – not to mention that it is illegal.

Is there ever at time to be dishonest?

I would be the first to suggest that a person should be as completely honest as possible.  This sometimes means disclosing some painful or awkward information at awkward times.  But usually it pays a dividend in the form of respect.  This respect can lead to better deals and to return business.

Sometimes, however, there are times to be a bit closed lipped with our personal details.  Not everyone else on the planet is honest, which means that you have to be a bit careful about who you tell all your intimate details.  Predators stalk the internet.  Scammers are always looking for a quick buck.  They target the vulnerable.

How do these people figure out who is vulnerable?  One of the ways is to find people who have been careless about their financial or personal information in the past.  They use this information to find out more about you and then they target your particular weaknesses.  So be careful.  Especially when dealing with strangers or the internet.

A word of caution regarding the local evening news.  Most of the time there is nothing horribly out of place or wrong with the evening news beyond some poor grammar or less than stellar camera work.

When the reports turn to issues surrounding health, investments, or other serious issues, be a bit cautious about what they say.  These are not doctors.  In essense a news anchor person is little more than an actor.  They have no real stake in what they are saying, which makes them neutral, bit they also often have no real knowledge about what they are reporting and they present only a portion of that knowledge.  That doesn’t mean that the reports are false, but that they may be incomplete.

Like everything else we may hear or read, look futher into it before making a serious decision.

Many websites are little more than a front for someone out there to get your money with no concern for providing a quality product.  What are some of the earmarks of such a site?

-Tons of advertisements with little content.

-One page offering one questionable product with no other information.

-Multiple links to one site.

-Links to sites advertising known scams or useless products.

-Outdated sites.

-Sites that mimic, but do not have official approval of government sites.

There are a lot of different ways to pull of a scam, but most scammers are too lazy to do more than the bare minimum.  Of course there are plenty of legitimate sites out there that follow any of the above rules.  As alwasy your best defense is to simply gather more information and to be patient until you can get all of the information you need in order to make a good decision.

What is the most popular internet scam?  According to the Federal Trade Commission, it is auction scams.

What is an auction scam and how does it work?  Quite simply put an auction scam is where someone offers an item for sale via the internet, typically through some auction service.  Usually this will be a very expensive or popular item such as a rare collectible or jewelry.  Then when the item is sold, the seller collects and the fails to deliver.  Either the item is never delivered or else a forgery or fake is delivered instead.

How can you avoid the auction scam?

Use only a trusted auction resource.  There are many auction sites available, use only those you trust.  Do a little reseach about the seller.  What is their selling history?  What do other customers say?  How responsive are they to your emails?  Do they have additional photos of the item?

If it is a particularly expensive item you may wish to consider using an escrow service to confirm delivery.

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.

If you think that you have been a victim of a phishing scam (email scam) and that you have mistakenly entered personal information into a fraudulent form, there are some things you should do right away.

1. Immediately change your username and password
2. Contact the company.  Don’t wait for an email form.  Pick up the phone and contact the fraud department of the company whose page was simulated in the scam.
3. Call your bank and credit card companies.  If you entered any information that could lead to your bank accounts or credit card information, call them and let them know immediately.
4. If you entered more sensitive information then you may already have some trouble.  You may need to file a police report and should definitely check your credit report and begin working closely with your banks to prevent any damage to your credit or financial health.