How to Avoid Scams

Very few of us are rich enough to lose our hard earned money by the numerous scams we are exposed to via the internet, phone calls, mail, in person solicitations and media advertisements. I will try to explain in very simple terms how you can avoid becoming a victim of a scam.

The types of scams you will be exposed to on a regular basis are numerous. I have broken them down to the most common and injurious of the scams you are likely see each day. I will write three articles exposing the 7 most common scams.

Front Money Scams

These can cost you a lot of money and play on each our personal greed. It usually comes as a letter or email explaining that someone in a foreign country (often Africa) has millions of dollars which they cannot by themselves get out of their country due to local corruption or high risk. They will give you a million dollars to let them transfer this money into your account, which they can tap after they leave their repressive country. The only thing they wand from you is a mere $5,000 up front to show that you are an honest person and will not exploit all their money after it is transferred to your account. If you actually send the $5,000 good faith money, you will never see it, the money promised to you, or the con-man again.

Many other schemes to get up front money exist.

Do you want to get free government grant money? Send $50 for a CD with thousands of Government grants which you can take advantage of. I'm sure you have seen this scam on TV.

Do you want to make over $1,000 or more a week from your home? Send us $29.95 plus $6.95 shipping and handling and say good bye to bosses, commuting and full time work. It just will not happen. Do not waste your money.

Donation Scams

"Hello Mam, I am calling for a donation to your (pick one) Police, Firemen, Volunteer Rescue Squad". The voice always sounds deep and authoritative. You assume you are talking to a Policeman or a member of their Union. In fact you are talking to a semi-scammer who is no more a member of the group they are collection for than you are. They earn a commission for each donation they get, and their civilian organizers get most the rest. You are lucky if they give 10% of the money they collect to a Police or Fire Fighting organization.

These scams are often done via the US mail. They include a sticker "I SUPPORT POLICE LAW ENFORCEMENT". Whatever you do don't put the sticker on your car and think you will not get a ticket if you speed. In fact nothing enrages a Policeman more than a person who thinks they can buy their way out of a ticket by donating $25 to a phony "charity".