Last week's article was about an old scam which was revived on the
Internet (Nigerian Letter Scams) and was triggered by the amount
of junk e-mail that comes trough my mailbox.
Since I still get a lot of e-mail trying to introduce me to
various types of scams, I thought it was worth the time to dig a
little further.
So I found this very informative article by Bob Osgoodby about the
most common scams that we get by e-mail. Here it is:
Most of us think of hype as exaggerated or extravagant claims,
made especially in advertising or promotional material. Sometimes
it is deceptive and deliberately misleading. While we have become
a bit immune to this through constant exposure, it always seems
that someone comes up with a fresh approach that is not
immediately recognized.
Con artists have been around since the beginning of time, and are
always willing to take advantage of another "hot prospect". But
every scam has "red flags" and a little common sense should
prevail so you do not fall prey to them. Let's examine a few we
get by email everyday.
"Complimentary Vacation Package" - this one has been around
a long time, but has now found its way to the web. It starts off
with "Congratulations! You will be our guest in Orlando, Florida,
home of Walt Disney World, for 4 days and 3 nights. All
compliments of major Vacation Resort Developers." Reading it, you
might feel you have won a contest. In actuality, this is not the
case. It is a high pressure sales campaign designed to sell you a
"timeshare" vacation package.
Another variation promises deeply discounted vacation packages.
You pay for a package that seems great on the surface, but in
reality is either third rate accommodations or doesn't exist at
all.
"Guaranteed Winner" - they state - "You're going to get one
of these top five prizes, guaranteed!" In this scam you normally
send some information, and either return it by email or fill out a
form on a web site. They require that you supply your telephone
number to be eligible. You will then be contacted by a
telemarketer who confirms that you have been chosen for one of the
five "valuable" prizes; however, you must pay a processing fee for
handling, customs duties or taxes, and you must send a check or
money order to them by overnight mail. The prize usually winds up
being small trinkets of minimal value, discount coupons or
vouchers, worth far less than what you paid.
Or, you might receive an e-mail informing you that
your order
has been received and processed, and your credit card will be
billed for the charges. The trouble is, you haven't ordered
anything. They contacted you using bulk email, using inactive
return addresses which prevent you from refuting the orders by
email. They do provide a telephone number in the area code 767,
which is actually in the West Indies. They try to keep callers on
the line as long as possible, and you are reportedly billed as
much as $25 per minute. Be aware that your local telephone company
may bill for services provided by other companies, and not be able
to provide you relief.
Another current scam floating about the web offers you a cut of
stolen money from Nigeria that was stolen and they need your
help getting the money out of the country. They of course want a
cut of the money that they claim will be wired to your personal
bank account. You of course are expected to pay them their share
up front. The money however never arrives in your bank.
One group sends hundreds of thousands of unsolicited emails to
people directing them to web sites promoting the
Mega$Nets
and
MegaResource programs. When you visit one of their web
sites you can download copies of the software program which
contains a list of five names and addresses. The software program
and web sites direct you to send twenty dollars to each of five
people listed in the software in order for you to get yourself
placed at the top of the list of names. This is simply a variation
of the old fashioned chain letter. Actually, there are a lot of
chain letters floating about the web and all should be avoided.
Another email promises
guaranteed Credit Card approval! One
group offered Visa cards to the credit-challenged "to put you back
in the mainstream of financial life in high style" at an interest
rate of only 4.9%. How? Through the magic of using offshore banks
in tax haven countries. There is however a $100 processing fee and
$25 per month charge regardless of use.
Some people really believe that they have been selected to be in
the Internet Version of
"Who's Who". This one started years
ago and was sent to every company executive in the country - They
will include your listing at no charge - oh, would you like a
copy? "Send $98 to us and it will be delivered to your doorstep."
There is no way to adequately cover all the scams that permeate
the web. Before jumping into any of these "make a million while
you sleep" plans, use a little "due diligence" and check them out.
The money you save will be your own.
About The Author
Did you know that subscribers to Bob Osgoodby's Free Ezine the
"Tip of the Day" get a Free Ad for their Business at his Web Site?
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