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Scammers stay busy in early 2010
Published March 5, 2010
It’s seemingly in your e-mail inbox everyday. Another too good to be true offer for a product, service or job.
The Better Business Bureau recently released its list of the top 10 scams and rip-offs of 2009. Many of those continue today and seek to take advantage of people suffering in tough economic times.
A large number of scammers use the Internet to target large audiences of people and purchase e-mail lists to prowl for their prey online. Other offers come by phone or in the mail. All are designed to appeal to desperate, vulnerable people in need of a quick dollar to help make ends meet.
“While many of the scams on the list are perennial problems, some scams were distinct in 2009 because of the economic climate and scammers’ penchant for taking advantage of the top headlines,” Steve Cox Council of Better Business Bureaus President and CEO said.
The BBB’s list of top scams and rip-offs of 2009 include:
• Acai Supplements and other “free” trial offers — Ads offering free trials are found everywhere on the Internet. The campaigns often claim association with or celebrity endorsements. Once the scammer gets your financial information they bill your account month after month for the product.
• Stimulus – government grant scams — Scammers mislead consumers and small business owners into believing they can take part in the program and obtain money from the government. In reality, the information provided is worthless and doesn’t actually help anyone obtain a government grant.
• Robocalls — Automated telemarketing calls rose in 2009 to both home, business and cell phone numbers despite the do-not-call list. These calls claim an auto warranty is about to expire, that a credit card interest rate can be reduced and other similar services. The Federal Trade Commission increased restrictions to this practice but it is continuing into 2010.
• Lottery – sweepstakes scam – The victim may receive a letter in the mail pretending to be from a legitimate business claiming they’ve won big money. The letter is complete with a check for a portion of the winnings and the victim is requested to deposit the check and wire hundreds of dollars back to cover taxes and other fees. The prize money never arrives and in some cases the deposited check is worthless.
• Job hunter scams — These target people looking for work and attempt to gain personal information such as social security and bank account numbers. In most cases they require a fee to apply for and be considered for employment. In some cases the prospective employer claims to need to complete a credit check as part of the pre-employment process and then monitors the online credit report monthly passing the cost on to the victims until it is cancelled.
• Google work from home scam — Scammers used Web sites to learn how to make money from home using Google and Twitter. A free trial of learning materials is generally offered and then the victim is billed every month for the materials and other charges that run into the hundreds of dollars.
• Mortgage foreclosure rescue – debt assistance — This scam preys on families in danger of losing their home from foreclosure or who have large credit card debt. Victims pay hundreds of dollars up front for assistance that they rarely never receive.
• Mystery shopping — Don’t believe you can make extra money by becoming a secret shopper. Scammers ask victims to evaluate their shopping experience at certain stores as well as money wiring services such as Western Union by wiring money back to the scammers. A seemingly real looking check is supposed to cover the costs, but is fake.
• Over-payment scams — Small businesses, landlords, and sellers on classifieds or sites like Craigslist are targeted. The scammer will pretend to be a customer and will send a check for more than the amount requested. Scammers instruct the victims to deposit the check and wire the extra amount somewhere else — and that is usually back to the scammer.
• Phishing e-mails — These e-mails regularly pop up in inboxes and appear to be from a business, government agency, official or even a friend. The goal is to trick victims into divulging sensitive financial information or to infect the victim’s computer with viruses and mailware.
“Some scams plagued different parts of the country more than others,” Cox said. “For example in places hit by he housing crisis, bogus offers for foreclosure rescue or debt assistance ran rampant.”
In early 2010 online payday lenders are making their mark. While they do loan the money all payments go toward paying off finance charges, not the principal.
Others are using the BBB name to obtain consumer and business information, which can be used for telemarketer calls or identity theft. A new lottery scam using the BBB name and a sweepstakes targeting senior citizens and linked to merchandise offers is also making the rounds.
Consumers or small business owners who are victimized by a scam should contact local law enforcement, their local BBB or file a complaint at www.bbb.org.
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