Avoid Money Scams

One of the great things about living in a time and place where a person can think freely is that this freedom means that an individual can challenge the notions that seem to rule the masses.  A person can be exposed to a variety of ideas and choose those ideas that make the most sense.

When dealing with fraud and scams, this kind of freedom is invaluable.  There is no obligation to do business with any individual.  There is great freedom to speak out against those who take advantage of others.  This freedom means that a person can quickly learn a great deal about any potential business.  A few clicks on the internet and the value of a free mind becomes evident.

One popular pastime of many individuals is the speculation about various conspiracy theories.  Theories about the CIA, the FBI, the Free Masons and so many other organizations run around the internet, the media, and the water cooler.  The idea that great secrets are being hidden from the common man is titillating.

People enjoy the discovery process.  Learning new things is fun.  The concept of knowing something that others do not also gives a sense of power.  These emotions lend themselves to a belief in and pursuit of conspiracy theories.

While there is nothing really wrong with speculation.  My question is what is the point?  Why put time, money, and energy in excess into speculation?  If there is a great conspiracy to take over the world, for example, is the hope to put a stop to it by exposing it?  Or is it just seeking for that feeling of power by knowing something that others do not.

Be careful about scams on www.craiglsit.com inviting you to send money to filipino buyers.  Although not all of these are scams, there are a number of overseas buyers who are not entirely honest.

The basics of this scam are that they will offer to buy a product and then want to send you a money order for more than the purchase price.  They will include a reason why there is more money than necessar and then ask that you send them back the difference.

Be careful.  The money order is a fake.  Not only that, when you cash it you will be legally responsible and could in-fact face criminal charges while the scammer gets away.

I was doing a search the other day for information about unemployement when I came across a number of sites advertising free grant money.  Of course the government continues to spend money in ridiculous ways, up to and including giving away money to people who don’t deserve it.  However, don’t be fooled into thinking that you are just a click or two away from thousands of dollars.  What these companies are really doing is selling you a software package at a very steep price.  The prices ranged from $30 to $60 per month.  That’s right, you don’t just pay once and you’re done, but you’ll be paying month after month after month.

And will you actually qualify for and get any of these grants?  Who knows?  You might and you might not.  But a person could easily shell out $600 over the course of a year and never see a penny in return, so tread carefully.

Unfortunately not all scams can be so easily spotted.  Sometimes dishonest people simply get into positions of power where they can abuse that power for their own personal gain.  Associated Press business writer Marcy Gordon released a story talking about one such case.

The concern here is that this kind of fraud affects many, many people.  Many of the defrauded investors are people with significant incomes, the kind of people who employ other people.  This means that for some of us we get impacted indirectly.

The message to those who are going to invest their money is very clear.  Be absolutely sure of whomever you decide to give your money to.  There is alwasy the risk that you won’t get it back.  Prosecution is all good and well, but it doesn’t restore your pocketbook.

I don’t know if any amount of research could have uncovered the faud earlier, but it could possibly have helped.

There are a number of people each year who become victims of foreign scams.  For whatever reason they send money to strangers in other countries and only later find out that they have been scammed.

If this happens to you, the Secret Service requests that you provide them with all information related to the scam.  One of the most difficult obstacles that authorities face when fighting this type of fraud is that individuals do not report the fraud out of embarrassment.

Contact the United States Secret Service, Financial Crimes Division, 950 H Street NW,  Washington, D.C. 20223

Phone: 202-486-5850

In any event contacting legal authorities is a good response.  Although they may not be able to give you the full measure of justice that you seek, you will be helping yourself and others and may perhaps hold the one clue that puts a con artist behind bars.

Why am I writing about the Nigerian Money scam?  It is one of the most famous and continuous ongoing scams of this century.

According to snopes.com it originated in the 1920’s and continues today.  In essense someone from a foreign country promises great wealth in return for a limited amount of help with their funds.  After sending the money the scammer will follow up with additional promises and try to continue to get more money until finally the victim gets wise and stops sending money.

This scam, as simple and obvious as it may seem is widely successful.  Some figures estimate that scammers are recovering millions of dollars annually with this process.  Obviously a con artist is not going to stop a con that is working.

The lesson as always is to be vigilant.  If a letter, a fax, or an email appears to be fraudulent then be careful.  Don’t send money to strangers.  Don’t believe wild promises.