++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Staged Auto Accidents -- Reaching Epidemic Proportions
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This scam is somewhat surprising in its scope and danger.
In this scam, fraudsters maneuver innocent drivers into auto
accidents. The accident may be small or large -- but the
claims for auto damage and fake injuries are always large.
These accidents are often staged by organized crime rings and
they are now rampant.
Unfortunately, these scams can impact you in at least three
ways:
1. Victims have been injured, terrorized, and even killed. A
71-year-old grandmother was killed in Bayside, NY, and an entire
family (including a baby) was killed when one of these staged
accidents went wrong.
2. Victims' insurance rates often rise -- often by hundreds of
dollars -- because of a costly claim on your record.
Sometimes, an auto policy may not even be renewed.
3. Victims waste a lot of time dealing with police reports, car
repairs, claim settlements, and sometimes lawsuits.
These staged auto accidents have reached epidemic proportions
in Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, and other
states.
How this scam works
There are at least four variants of this scam:
1. "Swoop and Squat." The scammer swoops in front of you, jams
on the brakes, and you hit them from the rear. Inside the
scammer's car are passengers who then pretend to have severe
and painful injuries, even if the collision was at a very low
speed.
2. "Drive Down." As you are merging into traffic, the scammer
slows down and waves you forward. He then rams into your car
and denies waving you into traffic, and of course, blames the
accident entirely on you.
3. "Sideswipe." At a busy intersection with a dual left-turn
lane, the scammer deliberately sideswipes you if you
accidentally drift into the outer lane while completing the
turn.
4. "Shady Helpers." Whether you've had a legitimate or staged
accident, a stranger approaches you to convince you to use a
specific auto-body shop, doctor or chiropractor, or lawyer. It
may be a setup: you could easily get poor and overpriced work
done, shoddy or no treatment, or bad legal advice.
What to do
Here are six suggestions for how to protect yourself and fight
back:
1. Don't tailgate, which helps reduce the chance of "swoop and
squat."
2. Always keep a pen and paper and inexpensive camera in your
glove compartment so you can be prepared if you're ever in an
accident. Write down all the important info immediately if
you're in an accident: license plate number, insurance info,
etc. Take pictures of the damage done to both cars and the
passengers.
3. If you're in a collision, count the number of passengers in
the other car and get their names, phone numbers, and driver's
license numbers. That way, people not in the car cannot make
claims against you.
4. Call the police immediately even if there is just minor
damage. Get a police report, including the officer's name.
Make sure it accurately describes the degree of damage.
5. Watch how the people in the other car behave. If they stand
around joking until the police come -- and then all of a sudden
complain loudly about pain -- you know something isn't right.
6. Only use medical, car repair and legal professionals you
trust.
For more information on this scam, visit:
==> http://www.insurancefraud.org/protect_your...urself_set.html
Full Version: Must Read Stories On Internet Fraud And Beyond
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A Developing Trend in Email Viruses
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
We've recently gotten a lot of additional email which points to
a file that is supposedly about you. The idea is that because
the info in the file is about you, you should open it. If you
do, you (inadvertently) spread a virus.
Two recent examples of this are:
--
Subject: Stolen document
I found this document about you.
+++ Attachment: No Virus found
+++ MC-Afee AntiVirus - www.mcafee.com
--
Subject: Internet Provider Abuse
You have visited illegal websites.
I have a big list of the websites you surfed.
--
Both are examples of the Netsky virus. You can read more about
it -- including how to remove it -- at:
==> http://scambusters.org/a/symantec.html
There are two disturbing trends here:
1. The email claims to have info about you that is supposedly
important for you to see (thereby increasing the likelihood you'll
spread the virus); and
2. Incorrect info that no virus was found in the first message
(when, in fact, the attachment is an infected file).
Our recommendations: Be aware that spammers and virus creators
are getting more sophisticated. We've talked about this a lot
lately in terms of phishing scams -- and you can see this is
true for viruses as well. Be VERY careful about opening any
attachments, and follow the virus advice we've shared in past
issues. Visit:
==> http://www.scambusters.org/anti-virus.html
A Developing Trend in Email Viruses
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
We've recently gotten a lot of additional email which points to
a file that is supposedly about you. The idea is that because
the info in the file is about you, you should open it. If you
do, you (inadvertently) spread a virus.
Two recent examples of this are:
--
Subject: Stolen document
I found this document about you.
+++ Attachment: No Virus found
+++ MC-Afee AntiVirus - www.mcafee.com
--
Subject: Internet Provider Abuse
You have visited illegal websites.
I have a big list of the websites you surfed.
--
Both are examples of the Netsky virus. You can read more about
it -- including how to remove it -- at:
==> http://scambusters.org/a/symantec.html
There are two disturbing trends here:
1. The email claims to have info about you that is supposedly
important for you to see (thereby increasing the likelihood you'll
spread the virus); and
2. Incorrect info that no virus was found in the first message
(when, in fact, the attachment is an infected file).
Our recommendations: Be aware that spammers and virus creators
are getting more sophisticated. We've talked about this a lot
lately in terms of phishing scams -- and you can see this is
true for viruses as well. Be VERY careful about opening any
attachments, and follow the virus advice we've shared in past
issues. Visit:
==> http://www.scambusters.org/anti-virus.html
Credit Card Fraud and Identity Theft
-- A New Spin
ScamBusters™ #75
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Protect Yourself From Internet Scams -- FREE!
Subscribe to Internet ScamBusters, the #1 publication on Internet fraud (a public service published monthly).
Internet ScamBusters™
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
Issue #75 May 5, 2004
Hi everyone:
It seems to be spring across the country these days -- but flowers aren't the only things that are blossoming. New scams seem to be in full bloom, too. We'll tell you about three new ones in this issue.
But first, a huge thank you! Many thousands of you participated in our survey last month, and we really appreciate it.
It will take awhile to read through all of the answers -- however, we will read every last one. We've already learned so much from you -- and we're only through a small fraction of your responses.
The biggest thing we learned is that most readers want to receive Internet ScamBusters more frequently.
So, we'll aim at publishing 2 (or more) times a month. However, we'll never send out an issue unless we have something important to share with you. (Publishing just to send out an issue goes against everything this newsletter is about.)
We'll also keep issues shorter most of the time. And, you've given us enough topics to cover for the next 3 years. (Not that there is any shortage of topics about scams -- unfortunately!) ;-)
Finally, we are really pleased to hear how valuable you find Internet ScamBusters. Your extraordinary feedback was very appreciated.
Thanks again!
Note: Easily change your subscription information by clicking the link at the very bottom of this newsletter.
OK. Let's get started...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Credit Card Fraud and Identity Theft -- A New Spin
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Identity thieves are now calling credit card holders and posing as fraud troubleshooters for major credit card providers.
They tell unsuspecting victims that they are investigating a potential fraudulent charge that has been made to their account, and they offer to help the card holder reverse the charge and get a credit.
All you have to do is 'verify' your credit card information.
Of course, these scammers then use that information to do the very thing they claim someone else already did -- make fraudulent charges against your card, or steal your identity!
Here's an example: The scamster calls to find out if you purchased a particular piece of hardware, and sometimes they mention a specific company. They say that there has been a lot of fraud related to this item.
When you say you haven't purchased the item, they scammer lets you know that a fraud investigation has been started, and that you'll receive credit for the purchase. Some scammers sound so legitimate they actually offer up a 'case number' for your records.
The scamsters goal is to gain your trust. They then ask to 'verify' your billing address. Next, they may ask if you still have the card in your possession, and if so, if you could read back the account number and expiration date.
Once again, our advice is: NEVER give your credit card details -- or other personal information -- to strangers over the phone or via email. Your credit card company already knows them!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Fake Medicare Prescription Drug Cards
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If you're not old enough for this to apply to you, tell your parents and grandparents about this one:
Starting this month, private medical insurers will be issuing Medicare prescription drug discount cards for a program that will start in June, primarily for seniors. These cards will offer a 10% to 25% discount on prescription drugs.
These cards will be good until at least 12/31/05 when the Medicare's new prescription drug benefit begins.
But scam artists, in the latest clever attempt to separate you from your money, have already begun calling people now, to 'collect the information' they say is necessary in order for you to obtain the card.
Instead, they're using the info they're collecting to register for credit cards in victim's names... or steal money from their bank accounts.
The real cards will cost no more than $30 -- and you don't pay any enrollment fee if you qualify for a $600 credit (see publication #1 listed below).
You can find out more about the legitimate program on Medicare's website at:
==> http://www.medicare.gov
There are a number of publications you can get about these cards, all in pdf format. Here are two:
1. Introducing Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Cards. You'll find a brief overview of the new Medicare-approved drug discount cards, as well as info on whether you qualify for a $600 credit. (4 pages)
2. Guide to Choosing a Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Card. This booklet provides information on who can get a card, how they work, and how to choose the best card for you. (36 pages)
==> http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Home.asp
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FDIC Email Scam
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If you get an official-looking email from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) -- including the FDIC logo -- telling you that the Department of Homeland Security has suspended insurance on your bank account due to suspected violations of the Patriot Act (which is the US anti-terrorism law), don't respond!
This is just another attempt to get access to your personal information.
The email, of course, asks the recipient to provide lots of personal information, including bank account information. It also includes a link to a bogus website that supposedly belongs to the FDIC (it doesn't).
If you receive this email, you can contact the real FDIC at alert@fdic.gov for further information.
That's it for now. See you in a couple of weeks.
-- A New Spin
ScamBusters™ #75
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Protect Yourself From Internet Scams -- FREE!
Subscribe to Internet ScamBusters, the #1 publication on Internet fraud (a public service published monthly).
Internet ScamBusters™
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
Issue #75 May 5, 2004
Hi everyone:
It seems to be spring across the country these days -- but flowers aren't the only things that are blossoming. New scams seem to be in full bloom, too. We'll tell you about three new ones in this issue.
But first, a huge thank you! Many thousands of you participated in our survey last month, and we really appreciate it.
It will take awhile to read through all of the answers -- however, we will read every last one. We've already learned so much from you -- and we're only through a small fraction of your responses.
The biggest thing we learned is that most readers want to receive Internet ScamBusters more frequently.
So, we'll aim at publishing 2 (or more) times a month. However, we'll never send out an issue unless we have something important to share with you. (Publishing just to send out an issue goes against everything this newsletter is about.)
We'll also keep issues shorter most of the time. And, you've given us enough topics to cover for the next 3 years. (Not that there is any shortage of topics about scams -- unfortunately!) ;-)
Finally, we are really pleased to hear how valuable you find Internet ScamBusters. Your extraordinary feedback was very appreciated.
Thanks again!
Note: Easily change your subscription information by clicking the link at the very bottom of this newsletter.
OK. Let's get started...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Credit Card Fraud and Identity Theft -- A New Spin
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Identity thieves are now calling credit card holders and posing as fraud troubleshooters for major credit card providers.
They tell unsuspecting victims that they are investigating a potential fraudulent charge that has been made to their account, and they offer to help the card holder reverse the charge and get a credit.
All you have to do is 'verify' your credit card information.
Of course, these scammers then use that information to do the very thing they claim someone else already did -- make fraudulent charges against your card, or steal your identity!
Here's an example: The scamster calls to find out if you purchased a particular piece of hardware, and sometimes they mention a specific company. They say that there has been a lot of fraud related to this item.
When you say you haven't purchased the item, they scammer lets you know that a fraud investigation has been started, and that you'll receive credit for the purchase. Some scammers sound so legitimate they actually offer up a 'case number' for your records.
The scamsters goal is to gain your trust. They then ask to 'verify' your billing address. Next, they may ask if you still have the card in your possession, and if so, if you could read back the account number and expiration date.
Once again, our advice is: NEVER give your credit card details -- or other personal information -- to strangers over the phone or via email. Your credit card company already knows them!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Fake Medicare Prescription Drug Cards
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If you're not old enough for this to apply to you, tell your parents and grandparents about this one:
Starting this month, private medical insurers will be issuing Medicare prescription drug discount cards for a program that will start in June, primarily for seniors. These cards will offer a 10% to 25% discount on prescription drugs.
These cards will be good until at least 12/31/05 when the Medicare's new prescription drug benefit begins.
But scam artists, in the latest clever attempt to separate you from your money, have already begun calling people now, to 'collect the information' they say is necessary in order for you to obtain the card.
Instead, they're using the info they're collecting to register for credit cards in victim's names... or steal money from their bank accounts.
The real cards will cost no more than $30 -- and you don't pay any enrollment fee if you qualify for a $600 credit (see publication #1 listed below).
You can find out more about the legitimate program on Medicare's website at:
==> http://www.medicare.gov
There are a number of publications you can get about these cards, all in pdf format. Here are two:
1. Introducing Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Cards. You'll find a brief overview of the new Medicare-approved drug discount cards, as well as info on whether you qualify for a $600 credit. (4 pages)
2. Guide to Choosing a Medicare-Approved Drug Discount Card. This booklet provides information on who can get a card, how they work, and how to choose the best card for you. (36 pages)
==> http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Home.asp
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FDIC Email Scam
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If you get an official-looking email from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) -- including the FDIC logo -- telling you that the Department of Homeland Security has suspended insurance on your bank account due to suspected violations of the Patriot Act (which is the US anti-terrorism law), don't respond!
This is just another attempt to get access to your personal information.
The email, of course, asks the recipient to provide lots of personal information, including bank account information. It also includes a link to a bogus website that supposedly belongs to the FDIC (it doesn't).
If you receive this email, you can contact the real FDIC at alert@fdic.gov for further information.
That's it for now. See you in a couple of weeks.
DDD did anyone ever tell you that you're a security god lol!
that i'm not but you can call moore that though (he'll deny it)
i can still be caught using ie a lot which gets some laughs but hey i use proxies
i'm just a privacy geek (there are too many ego driven peeps here anyways)
i appreciate the sentiment though
i can still be caught using ie a lot which gets some laughs but hey i use proxies
i'm just a privacy geek (there are too many ego driven peeps here anyways)
i appreciate the sentiment though
thanx ddd, i subscribed to the newsletter always good to keep track of those scammers, although i'm not a likely
victim
greetz pruttel
victim
greetz pruttel
good info to pass on to other peeps though
scammers get smarter all the time
regards
ddd
scammers get smarter all the time
regards
ddd
Internet ScamBusters ™
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
...
We began the last issue by answering the question about the
PayPal class action lawsuit: it is real and not a hoax.
We got feedback from quite a few subscribers telling us that
PayPal's customer support disagreed with us -- they said
this was actually a phishing scam.
We got copies of all the emails, and went to our top contact
at PayPal to find out the truth.
He told us that we were correct -- that the PayPal class
action lawsuit and settlement are indeed real, and not a
hoax. He told us that this will be corrected by PayPal's
customer support.
Still, remember our prediction in last week's issue:
'We predict, however, that if there aren't already, there
will soon be a lot of phishing scams about this class
action lawsuit and settlement.' So, to learn more, see the
email, and not get taken by a phishing scam, visit:
==> http://www.scambusters.org/urban-legends/paypal.html
So, no need to worry if you followed our advice (since it
was correct). And, it's always good to be careful.
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
...
We began the last issue by answering the question about the
PayPal class action lawsuit: it is real and not a hoax.
We got feedback from quite a few subscribers telling us that
PayPal's customer support disagreed with us -- they said
this was actually a phishing scam.
We got copies of all the emails, and went to our top contact
at PayPal to find out the truth.
He told us that we were correct -- that the PayPal class
action lawsuit and settlement are indeed real, and not a
hoax. He told us that this will be corrected by PayPal's
customer support.
Still, remember our prediction in last week's issue:
'We predict, however, that if there aren't already, there
will soon be a lot of phishing scams about this class
action lawsuit and settlement.' So, to learn more, see the
email, and not get taken by a phishing scam, visit:
==> http://www.scambusters.org/urban-legends/paypal.html
So, no need to worry if you followed our advice (since it
was correct). And, it's always good to be careful.
it's sad to see how many people are falling for the lottery scams
banks won't investigate but that's mainly because when you accept a check from someone you take that risk if it's going to pay or not
for those that deposit the check they can file a police report, notify the ftc, but if they are looking to get their money back legal action might be the only way (if any) to do that- sometimes the local police reports that are filed get referred to the fbi
links:
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C).
http://www.ic3.gov/
..
fed trade commission
1-877-438-4338
http://www.ftc.gov/
complaint form link
https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.sta...Z_ORG_CODE=PU01
Regarding Identity Theft:
The nation's three credit reporting companies - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion - have set up a system that will enable victims of identity fraud to protect their credit information. When the identity fraud victim calls any one of the credit reporting companies, that company will in turn notify the other two companies. Each company will then post a security alert on the victim's credit file, opt the victim out of pre-approved credit or insurance offers, and mail the victim a copy of their credit file.
The companies toll-free numbers are:
Equifax 1-800-525-6285
Experian 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion 1-800-680-7289
The national credit data bank's fraud department addresses are listed below.
Tell them that you are a victim of fraud and ask them to place a security alert on your file.
Also, get a copy of your credit history and contact each individual creditor and explain the situation.
Even after you correct errors and remove fraudulent entries to your record, the information can reappear at some future time. Therefore, keep records of everything and check your credit report annually.
Close accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
In addition, contact the local police department to file a report. Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and other that may require proof of the crime.
File your complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint also helps us learn more about identity theft and the problems victims are having so that we can better assist you.
Contacting national credit data banks concerning a disputed item
Call or write the respective company at the numbers and addresses listed below.
You are entitled to one free credit report per year.
After that, the companies may charge you. The fee is approximately $15 per report.
You may need to write a letter of request for the credit report.
You will also need to supply proof of identity and address. A copy of your recent telephone bill is usually sufficient; in some cases a copy of your driver's license may be required.
Requirements vary from company to company, so call first to get the actual requirements.
Credit Bureau Names & Addresses
Equifax Credit Reporting Bureau, P.O. Box 74050, Atlanta, GA 30374
Experian Credit Reporting Bureau (formerly TRW), P.O. Box 1017, Allen, TX 75013
Trans Union, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634
Identity Theft Hotline
You can also contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-438-4338 for further assistance.
banks won't investigate but that's mainly because when you accept a check from someone you take that risk if it's going to pay or not
for those that deposit the check they can file a police report, notify the ftc, but if they are looking to get their money back legal action might be the only way (if any) to do that- sometimes the local police reports that are filed get referred to the fbi
links:
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C).
http://www.ic3.gov/
..
fed trade commission
1-877-438-4338
http://www.ftc.gov/
complaint form link
https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.sta...Z_ORG_CODE=PU01
Regarding Identity Theft:
The nation's three credit reporting companies - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion - have set up a system that will enable victims of identity fraud to protect their credit information. When the identity fraud victim calls any one of the credit reporting companies, that company will in turn notify the other two companies. Each company will then post a security alert on the victim's credit file, opt the victim out of pre-approved credit or insurance offers, and mail the victim a copy of their credit file.
The companies toll-free numbers are:
Equifax 1-800-525-6285
Experian 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion 1-800-680-7289
The national credit data bank's fraud department addresses are listed below.
Tell them that you are a victim of fraud and ask them to place a security alert on your file.
Also, get a copy of your credit history and contact each individual creditor and explain the situation.
Even after you correct errors and remove fraudulent entries to your record, the information can reappear at some future time. Therefore, keep records of everything and check your credit report annually.
Close accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
In addition, contact the local police department to file a report. Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and other that may require proof of the crime.
File your complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint also helps us learn more about identity theft and the problems victims are having so that we can better assist you.
Contacting national credit data banks concerning a disputed item
Call or write the respective company at the numbers and addresses listed below.
You are entitled to one free credit report per year.
After that, the companies may charge you. The fee is approximately $15 per report.
You may need to write a letter of request for the credit report.
You will also need to supply proof of identity and address. A copy of your recent telephone bill is usually sufficient; in some cases a copy of your driver's license may be required.
Requirements vary from company to company, so call first to get the actual requirements.
Credit Bureau Names & Addresses
Equifax Credit Reporting Bureau, P.O. Box 74050, Atlanta, GA 30374
Experian Credit Reporting Bureau (formerly TRW), P.O. Box 1017, Allen, TX 75013
Trans Union, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634
Identity Theft Hotline
You can also contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-438-4338 for further assistance.
forgot if i mentioned in this forum that the best way to buy a product online is thru paypal- if the seller doesn't send what you ordered and you file a complaint they freeze those funds in their account til the issue is resolved. (one of the reasons they have a bad rep lol)
if you buy something thru ebay via paypal file the complaint thru paypal and you'll get the results you're looking for
i've been selling for a while now and paypal is really harsh on the seller when the biyer files a complaint (i know there is a lot of anti paypal sentiment out there like paypalsucks.com lol- they do have some good info though , http://paypalsucks.com/paypal-complaints.shtml
the paypalsucks.com site exposed greenzap.com as a shady op- more info http://www.scam.com/index.php?
that and i sometimes forget but when you buy something from a retailer for the first time always check with the better business bureau
http://www.bbb.org/
and
http://www.badbusinessbureau.com/
ddd
if you buy something thru ebay via paypal file the complaint thru paypal and you'll get the results you're looking for
i've been selling for a while now and paypal is really harsh on the seller when the biyer files a complaint (i know there is a lot of anti paypal sentiment out there like paypalsucks.com lol- they do have some good info though , http://paypalsucks.com/paypal-complaints.shtml
the paypalsucks.com site exposed greenzap.com as a shady op- more info http://www.scam.com/index.php?
that and i sometimes forget but when you buy something from a retailer for the first time always check with the better business bureau
http://www.bbb.org/
and
http://www.badbusinessbureau.com/
ddd
http://www.greenzap.com/
is still up and running
looks like a candidate for the blocklists
if someone could do a name search to see if they have ranges that would be great
Registration and WHOIS Service provided by directNIC.com
72.3.220.195
Registrant:
GreenZap
4445 Eastgate Mall Suite 200
La Jolla, CA 92121
US
858-812-3050
is still up and running
looks like a candidate for the blocklists
if someone could do a name search to see if they have ranges that would be great
Registration and WHOIS Service provided by directNIC.com
72.3.220.195
Registrant:
GreenZap
4445 Eastgate Mall Suite 200
La Jolla, CA 92121
US
858-812-3050
Internet ScamBusters ™
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
http://www.scambusters.org
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Issue #195 September 6, 2006
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Note 1: Easily change your subscription information by
clicking the link at the very bottom of this newsletter.
Note 2: Please share this newsletter with 3 or 4 of your
friends or colleagues who you think will benefit from it.
Hi Dan,
Today's issue is called "Cheap Tickets: How Not to Get
Scammed." We share an interesting experience from a friend who
witnessed a common cheap tickets scam.
In addition, we want to alert you to a new trend: private debt
collectors are starting to collect delinquent taxes from US
taxpayers. We'll briefly discuss why many experts are
concerned.
However, before we begin today's article on cheap tickets, we
first encourage you to take a look at this week's most popular
articles from our other sites:
What You Need to Know If You Are Considering a Balance Transfer
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/what_you_...ance_trans.html
What You Should Know About Web Hosting
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/what_you_...eb_hosting.html
Hiring Household Help: An Agency or An Ad?
http://www.consumertipsreports.org/hiring_...y_or_an_ad.html
Can Someone Steal Your Email to Send Spam?
http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/can_some..._send_spam.html
Let's get started...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Cheap Tickets: How Not to Get Scammed
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
We want to share a story about a common scam related to buying
cheap tickets that most people don't know about -- so you don't
get taken by this cheap tickets scam.
(Note: This article has nothing to do with CheapTickets.com,
which is a very good travel website we have personally used.)
The true story comes from our friend Steve:
--- Begin Steve's true cheap tickets story ---
A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I decided to take the kids
to Six Flags since summer vacation was almost over and we
hadn't used our passes much this year.
If you have children, you know how special a day at the
amusement park can be. You don't want anything ruining it, and
you definitely don't want it to turn into a lesson about the
uglier things in life.
The Six Flags near us costs about $40 per person just to get in
the door, close to $100 per person for a season pass and an
extra $15 a day for parking (unless you pay an extra $60 for
the season parking pass).
As we walked up to the gate area, a woman came up to us and
asked us if we wanted to buy tickets from her for $20. We have
season tickets so we simply said no and walked away.
Unfortunately, someone else she hit wasn't as lucky.
To understand what we saw, I first have to explain how the Six
Flags near us is set up. The people who need to buy tickets
stand in line to pay the cashier. The people who already have
tickets or a season pass get into another line to go through a
metal detector.
On this particular day, the metal detector lines were
horrendous.
As we were getting close to the front of our line, I noticed a
commotion going on in the line next to us. It appeared that
someone was trying to get into the park with counterfeit
tickets. As I got closer, I saw a gentleman with his girlfriend
and he was trying to explain that he bought the tickets from a
woman who had been standing in front of the park.
Being a curious individual, I couldn't help but listen as the
man pled his case, and as he started describing the woman, I
realized it was the very same woman who had asked us if we
wanted to buy tickets!
To the horror of my kids, I got out of line (they thought we'd
have to go back to the end) and started explaining to the
security officer that the man was telling the truth and that
the woman he was describing had also asked me if I wanted to
buy tickets. It was at that point that the police were called.
I had to answer some questions since I had also seen the woman
and it took about an hour before my family and I were able to
go into the park. Needless to say, when everything was over and
we actually got into the park, the kids started asking
questions.
All at once I was asked why the police were there, why the man
was yelling, why an adult would lie, and my four-year-old
wanted to know why the police didn't ask Wonder Woman to catch
the bad lady. (Wonder Woman was at Six Flags in costume.)
My kids eventually stopped asking questions and started
enjoying the games and the rides, but I know they haven't
forgotten the incident. Yesterday my mother-in-law took my
daughter to a movie and when they got home my mother-in-law
told me that my daughter had asked the girl at the ticket
counter if the movie tickets were real.
When I explained what had happened to my mother-in-law, she
told me the same thing had happened to one of her associates -
at an opera of all places.
After doing a little research, I discovered that this really
isn't an uncommon occurrence. In fact, it appears to happen
frequently.
Anywhere tickets are sold, there may be scammers lurking -
trying to con people out of their hard-earned money.
So the moral of the story is this...
If you see someone selling tickets outside of a movie theater,
a concert, a performance theater, an amusement park, a zoo or
any other event or attraction that requires a ticket to get in,
think VERY carefully before you buy the ticket, no matter how
cheap it is.
After all, if you pay $20 for a $40 ticket and the ticket's
counterfeit, you're really losing $20 instead of saving it.
--- End Steve's true cheap tickets story ---
Summary: buying cheap tickets (or expensive tickets, for that
matter) outside of events can be an expensive mistake.
This is one of many reasons that ticket scalping is illegal.
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Private debt collectors start collecting delinquent taxes from
US taxpayers
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
The IRS has hired private debt collectors to begin collecting
delinquent taxes from 12,500 US taxpayers, who each owe $25,000
or less in back taxes.
This is the first step in a broader initiative to outsource the
collection of smaller tax debts to private collection companies.
Experts have several concerns, including:
- It is much more expensive than IRS debt collections.
- There is a greater chance that debtors will be conned by scam
artists using phishing and other scams when private companies
are in the mix.
- Taxpayer rights may be at risk with privatization, since
private firms are much more concerned with maximizing profit
than safeguarding taxpayer rights.
Most people do not know about this new program. Given the
recent trends and abuses in private debt collection that we
wrote about a few months ago, as well as the other concerns the
experts have expressed, we find this trend quite disturbing.
In fact, private debt collection firms have been known to be
overly aggressive, even harrassing the wrong people.
For more info about these new trends in debt collection, visit:
http://www.scambusters.org/debt.html
Time to wrap up for today -- have a great week!
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Are You Sabotaging Your Own Success?
Most people do. No matter how close they come, something
always seems to hold them back. Truly successful people know
what it is, and how to defeat it without struggle. Do you?
The good news is there is a simple approach almost anyone can
use to make their life a smashing success.
"Absolute magic! 'How to Control Your Destiny Through Your
Attitude' provides the tools to help you create the life
you want for yourself. It's almost hard to believe that
it's so simple - yet it works like a charm!"
-- Michele Paccione, DanceGlam.com, Harrington Park, NJ
"If you could read only one book to help you transform your
life into a smashing success -- this should be it!"
-- Bill Heinrich, Founder and CEO, Symmetry Springs
If you'd like a real way to improve any area of your life in
the next 30 days and achieve what has seemed impossible to you
until now -- visit:
http://scambusters.org/a/attitude.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
101 Mouthwatering Cholesterol Lowering Recipes
Anyone trying to lower their cholesterol knows the first thing
any doctor will tell you is "watch what you eat." But low and
no-cholesterol foods won't do much to force your cholesterol
lower.
That's why you need to eat cholesterol-lowering foods as well.
They trigger your body's "cholesterol furnace," driving your
cholesterol level down naturally.
Dr. Chris Hart and Amy Carey have just published a collection
of 101 cholesterol lowering recipes that combine
low-cholesterol and cholesterol-lowering foods to help you
drop your cholesterol level quickly, easily and naturally.
Best of all they taste great, too! And, you'll find special
bonuses to help you make any holiday meal healthier... without
sacrificing the taste.
Discover more about this unique collection of cholesterol
lowering recipes here:
http://scambusters.org/a/cholesterolrecipes.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Small Business Owners: Exactly What You Need to Know to
Succeed in Any Economy
Worried about high gas prices and how deeply they'll affect
your profits? Got a plan in place in case the economy heads
south? Want a foolproof way to boost sales without boosting
costs, no matter what the economy is like?
Discover how a handful of savvy small business owners are
banking big profits by doing what you're not -- even when the
economy is down. Get the full story at:
http://scambusters.org/a/rich.html
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
http://www.scambusters.org
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Issue #195 September 6, 2006
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Note 1: Easily change your subscription information by
clicking the link at the very bottom of this newsletter.
Note 2: Please share this newsletter with 3 or 4 of your
friends or colleagues who you think will benefit from it.
Hi Dan,
Today's issue is called "Cheap Tickets: How Not to Get
Scammed." We share an interesting experience from a friend who
witnessed a common cheap tickets scam.
In addition, we want to alert you to a new trend: private debt
collectors are starting to collect delinquent taxes from US
taxpayers. We'll briefly discuss why many experts are
concerned.
However, before we begin today's article on cheap tickets, we
first encourage you to take a look at this week's most popular
articles from our other sites:
What You Need to Know If You Are Considering a Balance Transfer
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/what_you_...ance_trans.html
What You Should Know About Web Hosting
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/what_you_...eb_hosting.html
Hiring Household Help: An Agency or An Ad?
http://www.consumertipsreports.org/hiring_...y_or_an_ad.html
Can Someone Steal Your Email to Send Spam?
http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/can_some..._send_spam.html
Let's get started...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Cheap Tickets: How Not to Get Scammed
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
We want to share a story about a common scam related to buying
cheap tickets that most people don't know about -- so you don't
get taken by this cheap tickets scam.
(Note: This article has nothing to do with CheapTickets.com,
which is a very good travel website we have personally used.)
The true story comes from our friend Steve:
--- Begin Steve's true cheap tickets story ---
A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I decided to take the kids
to Six Flags since summer vacation was almost over and we
hadn't used our passes much this year.
If you have children, you know how special a day at the
amusement park can be. You don't want anything ruining it, and
you definitely don't want it to turn into a lesson about the
uglier things in life.
The Six Flags near us costs about $40 per person just to get in
the door, close to $100 per person for a season pass and an
extra $15 a day for parking (unless you pay an extra $60 for
the season parking pass).
As we walked up to the gate area, a woman came up to us and
asked us if we wanted to buy tickets from her for $20. We have
season tickets so we simply said no and walked away.
Unfortunately, someone else she hit wasn't as lucky.
To understand what we saw, I first have to explain how the Six
Flags near us is set up. The people who need to buy tickets
stand in line to pay the cashier. The people who already have
tickets or a season pass get into another line to go through a
metal detector.
On this particular day, the metal detector lines were
horrendous.
As we were getting close to the front of our line, I noticed a
commotion going on in the line next to us. It appeared that
someone was trying to get into the park with counterfeit
tickets. As I got closer, I saw a gentleman with his girlfriend
and he was trying to explain that he bought the tickets from a
woman who had been standing in front of the park.
Being a curious individual, I couldn't help but listen as the
man pled his case, and as he started describing the woman, I
realized it was the very same woman who had asked us if we
wanted to buy tickets!
To the horror of my kids, I got out of line (they thought we'd
have to go back to the end) and started explaining to the
security officer that the man was telling the truth and that
the woman he was describing had also asked me if I wanted to
buy tickets. It was at that point that the police were called.
I had to answer some questions since I had also seen the woman
and it took about an hour before my family and I were able to
go into the park. Needless to say, when everything was over and
we actually got into the park, the kids started asking
questions.
All at once I was asked why the police were there, why the man
was yelling, why an adult would lie, and my four-year-old
wanted to know why the police didn't ask Wonder Woman to catch
the bad lady. (Wonder Woman was at Six Flags in costume.)
My kids eventually stopped asking questions and started
enjoying the games and the rides, but I know they haven't
forgotten the incident. Yesterday my mother-in-law took my
daughter to a movie and when they got home my mother-in-law
told me that my daughter had asked the girl at the ticket
counter if the movie tickets were real.
When I explained what had happened to my mother-in-law, she
told me the same thing had happened to one of her associates -
at an opera of all places.
After doing a little research, I discovered that this really
isn't an uncommon occurrence. In fact, it appears to happen
frequently.
Anywhere tickets are sold, there may be scammers lurking -
trying to con people out of their hard-earned money.
So the moral of the story is this...
If you see someone selling tickets outside of a movie theater,
a concert, a performance theater, an amusement park, a zoo or
any other event or attraction that requires a ticket to get in,
think VERY carefully before you buy the ticket, no matter how
cheap it is.
After all, if you pay $20 for a $40 ticket and the ticket's
counterfeit, you're really losing $20 instead of saving it.
--- End Steve's true cheap tickets story ---
Summary: buying cheap tickets (or expensive tickets, for that
matter) outside of events can be an expensive mistake.
This is one of many reasons that ticket scalping is illegal.
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Private debt collectors start collecting delinquent taxes from
US taxpayers
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
The IRS has hired private debt collectors to begin collecting
delinquent taxes from 12,500 US taxpayers, who each owe $25,000
or less in back taxes.
This is the first step in a broader initiative to outsource the
collection of smaller tax debts to private collection companies.
Experts have several concerns, including:
- It is much more expensive than IRS debt collections.
- There is a greater chance that debtors will be conned by scam
artists using phishing and other scams when private companies
are in the mix.
- Taxpayer rights may be at risk with privatization, since
private firms are much more concerned with maximizing profit
than safeguarding taxpayer rights.
Most people do not know about this new program. Given the
recent trends and abuses in private debt collection that we
wrote about a few months ago, as well as the other concerns the
experts have expressed, we find this trend quite disturbing.
In fact, private debt collection firms have been known to be
overly aggressive, even harrassing the wrong people.
For more info about these new trends in debt collection, visit:
http://www.scambusters.org/debt.html
Time to wrap up for today -- have a great week!
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Are You Sabotaging Your Own Success?
Most people do. No matter how close they come, something
always seems to hold them back. Truly successful people know
what it is, and how to defeat it without struggle. Do you?
The good news is there is a simple approach almost anyone can
use to make their life a smashing success.
"Absolute magic! 'How to Control Your Destiny Through Your
Attitude' provides the tools to help you create the life
you want for yourself. It's almost hard to believe that
it's so simple - yet it works like a charm!"
-- Michele Paccione, DanceGlam.com, Harrington Park, NJ
"If you could read only one book to help you transform your
life into a smashing success -- this should be it!"
-- Bill Heinrich, Founder and CEO, Symmetry Springs
If you'd like a real way to improve any area of your life in
the next 30 days and achieve what has seemed impossible to you
until now -- visit:
http://scambusters.org/a/attitude.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
101 Mouthwatering Cholesterol Lowering Recipes
Anyone trying to lower their cholesterol knows the first thing
any doctor will tell you is "watch what you eat." But low and
no-cholesterol foods won't do much to force your cholesterol
lower.
That's why you need to eat cholesterol-lowering foods as well.
They trigger your body's "cholesterol furnace," driving your
cholesterol level down naturally.
Dr. Chris Hart and Amy Carey have just published a collection
of 101 cholesterol lowering recipes that combine
low-cholesterol and cholesterol-lowering foods to help you
drop your cholesterol level quickly, easily and naturally.
Best of all they taste great, too! And, you'll find special
bonuses to help you make any holiday meal healthier... without
sacrificing the taste.
Discover more about this unique collection of cholesterol
lowering recipes here:
http://scambusters.org/a/cholesterolrecipes.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Small Business Owners: Exactly What You Need to Know to
Succeed in Any Economy
Worried about high gas prices and how deeply they'll affect
your profits? Got a plan in place in case the economy heads
south? Want a foolproof way to boost sales without boosting
costs, no matter what the economy is like?
Discover how a handful of savvy small business owners are
banking big profits by doing what you're not -- even when the
economy is down. Get the full story at:
http://scambusters.org/a/rich.html
Today we have another subscriber Q&A issue. You'll find out...
- How to stop getting credit card offers in the mail.
- A common scam now targeted at physicians.
- Anti telemarketing script -- what to say when you receive
junk calls.
First, though, we recommend you check out the most popular
articles from our other sites during the past week:
Is a Zero Percent Balance Transfer Really a Good Idea?
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/is_a_zero..._good_idea.html
Have You Tried Dinner By Design?
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/have_you_..._by_design.html
A Great Security and Safety Product For Your Kids
http://www.emergencypreparednesstips.org/a..._your_kids.html
Fall Berry Growing for the Home Gardener
http://www.berrygrowingallyear.com/fall_be...e_gardener.html
On to today's...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Internet ScamBusters Q&A
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Question: My question is simple -- how do I stop getting all of
these annoying credit card offers in the mail? I don't want
another credit card and I'm tired of having to shred all this
stuff!
Answer: Fortunately, the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires
that the credit reporting agencies maintain a list of consumers
who do not want to receive pre-approved or pre-screened credit
card offers or insurance offers. This list is managed by the
four largest reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, Innovis,
and TransUnion.
It is reasonably easy to add yourself to this list. You simply
visit:
http://www.optoutprescreen.com
(This should redirect you to a secure webpage that begins with
https.)
You'll be asked to provide your name, address, Social Security
number and date of birth. You don't have to include your
Social Security number and date of birth, but your request may
not be properly processed without this information.
(You might want to try without your Social Security number and
see if it works. If not, then you can always submit your
request again with the additional information.)
You can either ask to have yourself removed for five years or
permanently. If you request a permanent removal, you'll have
to print and mail back the permanent election form.
If you move, you'll need to register your new address.
This certainly won't stop all snail mail solicitations, but it
should significantly reduce the number of credit card offers
you receive.
~~~
Question: I am a physician in Dallas, Texas, and have been in
correspondence with an alleged physician in Cameroon, Africa
who wants to send me two patients for surgery.
The patients will be paying cash for the surgery. They need a
letter from me stating that I accept them for care (which I am
used to and have done before) in order to obtain a visa, but
they also want bank transfer information so they can wire the
money to us ahead of time.
I told him that the wire transfer can occur after the patients
have arrived here in Dallas (once I see they are real) but
before surgery.
He insists that the US Embassy in Cameroon requires payment
before they grant them a temporary visa. Do you think this is a
scam (which is epidemic in that part of Africa)?
I do not want to deny treatment to people who really need it.
Is it possible for someone like this to commit fraud with my
bank wiring information and a letter that has my signature?
My bank did not inspire my confidence that something bad could
not happen.
Answer: Your bank is correct. This is a scam and can be very
dangerous.
It is a clever variant of the African scams we've written about
dozens of times, but now it is targeted at physicians. The
scammers want to steal money, commit identity theft, or both.
The people sending you the emails are not really physicians;
they are scammers.
These types of scams are becoming much more targeted.
Ministers and priests have received many of these scams; as you
saw, they are now being targeted at doctors.
Recommendation: Do NOT give them your banking details. Delete
the emails.
~~~
Question: I've heard there are scripts or recommendations of
what to say when you get unwanted telemarketing calls. Can you
tell me where to find a good one?
Answer: Sure. Junkbusters has developed a popular anti-telemarketing
script for people who don't want junk calls. You can find it here:
http://www.junkbusters.com/ht/en/script.html
Time to close -- we're off to enjoy a walk. See you next week.
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be...
Rather than just dreaming about making your dreams come true,
why not actually make your dreams happen?
In fact, it can be fairly easy -- much easier than you ever
imagined!
How? By following the little-known steps outlined in an
outstanding and innovative recent book.
Here are just two of the initial rave reviews -- read them
carefully if you would like to go from where you are now to
where you want to be:
"All I had when I started in the film business was a dream,
but a dream without a plan gets you nowhere. That's where
Pam comes in. Her new ebook shows you exactly what steps
you need to take to identify and to live your dreams.
"If you are ready to make the most of your life, and really
want to live your dreams (and become a millionaire in the
process), Pam's the one to help you do it!"
--J. Hill, Producer, Director, Writer, Hollywood, CA
~~~
"I've been a financial consultant for over twenty years,
and I have helped lots of people make lots of money. I've
never seen a better overall plan for personal and
professional success than 'Turning Dreams Into Dollars: 5
Steps to Becoming a Self-Made Millionaire.'
"In my business, clients would pay thousands of dollars for
this type of information, and, believe me, it's really
worth millions."
--B. Duncan, Financial Consultant, Las Vegas, NV
Visit now to find out how you can make YOUR dreams come
true...
http://scambusters.org/a/wealth.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Underground Acne Secrets
You've probably heard lots of empty promises about how "this
cream" or "that treatment" or "these pills" can help get rid
of your acne.
And you've probably been desperately disappointed when you
tried them. Because most acne "treatments" just plain don't
work.
Find out the truth about acne -- what REALLY causes it, why
lotions, potions, and other magical "treatments" don't work,
how to get rid of your acne in as little as seven days, why you
need a personalized system to truly get rid of your acne, and
much more! Here's where you can find out more...
http://www.extremeacne.com/acne.html?pg=sb-ar
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Are Credit Problems Driving You Crazy?
One of the biggest causes of stress and unhappiness in most
people's lives is money -- especially when your debt keeps
rising and the bills never stop. In no time flat, you can be
buried in extra debt just from credit card interest charges
and service fees alone!
But no matter how deeply in debt you are, there still is hope.
An amazing, eye-opening ebook now reveals everything you need
to know to protect, improve and restore your credit -- without
lawyers, bankruptcy or costly "credit repair" services.
Discover the full story now at:
http://scambusters.org/a/credit.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
=====
http://www.scambusters.org/creditcardoffers.html
About Internet ScamBusters - Administrivia
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
To subscribe, visit: http://www.scambusters.org/
Sabu
- How to stop getting credit card offers in the mail.
- A common scam now targeted at physicians.
- Anti telemarketing script -- what to say when you receive
junk calls.
First, though, we recommend you check out the most popular
articles from our other sites during the past week:
Is a Zero Percent Balance Transfer Really a Good Idea?
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/is_a_zero..._good_idea.html
Have You Tried Dinner By Design?
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/have_you_..._by_design.html
A Great Security and Safety Product For Your Kids
http://www.emergencypreparednesstips.org/a..._your_kids.html
Fall Berry Growing for the Home Gardener
http://www.berrygrowingallyear.com/fall_be...e_gardener.html
On to today's...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Internet ScamBusters Q&A
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Question: My question is simple -- how do I stop getting all of
these annoying credit card offers in the mail? I don't want
another credit card and I'm tired of having to shred all this
stuff!
Answer: Fortunately, the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires
that the credit reporting agencies maintain a list of consumers
who do not want to receive pre-approved or pre-screened credit
card offers or insurance offers. This list is managed by the
four largest reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, Innovis,
and TransUnion.
It is reasonably easy to add yourself to this list. You simply
visit:
http://www.optoutprescreen.com
(This should redirect you to a secure webpage that begins with
https.)
You'll be asked to provide your name, address, Social Security
number and date of birth. You don't have to include your
Social Security number and date of birth, but your request may
not be properly processed without this information.
(You might want to try without your Social Security number and
see if it works. If not, then you can always submit your
request again with the additional information.)
You can either ask to have yourself removed for five years or
permanently. If you request a permanent removal, you'll have
to print and mail back the permanent election form.
If you move, you'll need to register your new address.
This certainly won't stop all snail mail solicitations, but it
should significantly reduce the number of credit card offers
you receive.
~~~
Question: I am a physician in Dallas, Texas, and have been in
correspondence with an alleged physician in Cameroon, Africa
who wants to send me two patients for surgery.
The patients will be paying cash for the surgery. They need a
letter from me stating that I accept them for care (which I am
used to and have done before) in order to obtain a visa, but
they also want bank transfer information so they can wire the
money to us ahead of time.
I told him that the wire transfer can occur after the patients
have arrived here in Dallas (once I see they are real) but
before surgery.
He insists that the US Embassy in Cameroon requires payment
before they grant them a temporary visa. Do you think this is a
scam (which is epidemic in that part of Africa)?
I do not want to deny treatment to people who really need it.
Is it possible for someone like this to commit fraud with my
bank wiring information and a letter that has my signature?
My bank did not inspire my confidence that something bad could
not happen.
Answer: Your bank is correct. This is a scam and can be very
dangerous.
It is a clever variant of the African scams we've written about
dozens of times, but now it is targeted at physicians. The
scammers want to steal money, commit identity theft, or both.
The people sending you the emails are not really physicians;
they are scammers.
These types of scams are becoming much more targeted.
Ministers and priests have received many of these scams; as you
saw, they are now being targeted at doctors.
Recommendation: Do NOT give them your banking details. Delete
the emails.
~~~
Question: I've heard there are scripts or recommendations of
what to say when you get unwanted telemarketing calls. Can you
tell me where to find a good one?
Answer: Sure. Junkbusters has developed a popular anti-telemarketing
script for people who don't want junk calls. You can find it here:
http://www.junkbusters.com/ht/en/script.html
Time to close -- we're off to enjoy a walk. See you next week.
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be...
Rather than just dreaming about making your dreams come true,
why not actually make your dreams happen?
In fact, it can be fairly easy -- much easier than you ever
imagined!
How? By following the little-known steps outlined in an
outstanding and innovative recent book.
Here are just two of the initial rave reviews -- read them
carefully if you would like to go from where you are now to
where you want to be:
"All I had when I started in the film business was a dream,
but a dream without a plan gets you nowhere. That's where
Pam comes in. Her new ebook shows you exactly what steps
you need to take to identify and to live your dreams.
"If you are ready to make the most of your life, and really
want to live your dreams (and become a millionaire in the
process), Pam's the one to help you do it!"
--J. Hill, Producer, Director, Writer, Hollywood, CA
~~~
"I've been a financial consultant for over twenty years,
and I have helped lots of people make lots of money. I've
never seen a better overall plan for personal and
professional success than 'Turning Dreams Into Dollars: 5
Steps to Becoming a Self-Made Millionaire.'
"In my business, clients would pay thousands of dollars for
this type of information, and, believe me, it's really
worth millions."
--B. Duncan, Financial Consultant, Las Vegas, NV
Visit now to find out how you can make YOUR dreams come
true...
http://scambusters.org/a/wealth.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Underground Acne Secrets
You've probably heard lots of empty promises about how "this
cream" or "that treatment" or "these pills" can help get rid
of your acne.
And you've probably been desperately disappointed when you
tried them. Because most acne "treatments" just plain don't
work.
Find out the truth about acne -- what REALLY causes it, why
lotions, potions, and other magical "treatments" don't work,
how to get rid of your acne in as little as seven days, why you
need a personalized system to truly get rid of your acne, and
much more! Here's where you can find out more...
http://www.extremeacne.com/acne.html?pg=sb-ar
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Are Credit Problems Driving You Crazy?
One of the biggest causes of stress and unhappiness in most
people's lives is money -- especially when your debt keeps
rising and the bills never stop. In no time flat, you can be
buried in extra debt just from credit card interest charges
and service fees alone!
But no matter how deeply in debt you are, there still is hope.
An amazing, eye-opening ebook now reveals everything you need
to know to protect, improve and restore your credit -- without
lawyers, bankruptcy or costly "credit repair" services.
Discover the full story now at:
http://scambusters.org/a/credit.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
=====
http://www.scambusters.org/creditcardoffers.html
About Internet ScamBusters - Administrivia
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
To subscribe, visit: http://www.scambusters.org/
Sabu
Internet ScamBusters ™
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
http://www.scambusters.org
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Issue #197 September 20, 2006
Today we'll answer the question: What's New With Identity
Theft? We'll focus on pretexting, and also include some info on
a new identity theft standards group.
As always, we first recommend you check out the most popular
articles from our other sites during the past week (especially
the first one):
Gas Station Mishaps Lead to Valid Credit Cards Being Frozen
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/make_sure...serting_yo.html
When's The Last Time You Requested An Insurance Quote?
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/whens_the...ance_quote.html
Can Generic Groceries Really Live Up to Your Expectations?
http://www.consumertipsreports.org/generic...nal_brands.html
What You Need To Know About Health Food
http://www.dietingtipsetc.com/what_you_nee...ealth_food.html
Let's get going with today's info on identity theft and
pretexting...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
What's New With Identity Theft? Pretexting.
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Imagine getting a phone call from someone from a reputable
sounding research firm asking you to participate in a survey.
The questions they ask seem harmless, including the name of
your phone company, investment firm, and even your pet's name.
In reality, you may have just been a victim of pretexting.
Pretexting is the practice of getting your personal
information, such as your Social Security number (SSN),
telephone records, bank or credit card numbers, or any other
information, under false pretenses. In other words, a
pretexter pretends they are someone else to obtain your
personal information.
Pretexters use many different tactics to get your personal
information. One of the most common forms of pretexting is when
someone claims they are from a survey firm, and they ask you a
few questions, as in the example above.
Pretexters claim to be representatives from many different
types of organizations -- not just survey firms. For example,
pretexters may also claim to represent banks, government
agencies, local law enforcement agencies, Internet Service
Provides (ISPs), and many others.
The pretexter's goal is to obtain personal information about
you, such as your SSN, your bank or credit card account
numbers, mother's maiden name, information contained in your
credit report, or the existence and size of your savings and
investment portfolios.
After getting your answers, the pretexter may call your
financial institution pretending to be you or someone with
authorized access to your account. The pretexter may, for
example, claim that he's forgotten his checkbook and needs
information about his account.
The concept of pretexting has become much more widely known in
the past couple of weeks in conjunction with the boardroom
scandal at Hewlett-Packard. HP has admitted that it hired a
private investigator who was able to get phone records of HP
board members by using a contractor who pretended to be the
board members to obtain the detailed phone logs.
It has been widely reported that the contractor also used
pretexting to get the phone records of nine reporters.
Pretexters often sell the data they've collected to "data
brokers," who may sell it to private investigators, or to
scammers who want to commit identity theft.
Often, once they know which bank or brokerage firm you use
along with your SSN, they can often access your account just by
figuring out your password -- which unfortunately is often the
victim's pet or child's name.
The concept of pretexting is certainly not new. For example,
in 1992, ComputerWorld magazine reported that scammers used
pretexting to obtain individual data from the Social Security
Administration by calling when the computers were down.
Pretexters are using increasingly sophisticated methods,
including using electronic devices that show false phone
numbers on caller ID systems, and paying companies to make
calls for them to disguise the true origin of the pretexting
call.
In fact, scammers today also use pretexting to get info from
call centers at banks, phone companies, and other financial
institutions to gain access to personal sensitive info.
You might be wondering: isn't pretexting illegal? There is a
law in the US, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. According to the
Federal Trade Commission, this act makes it illegal for anyone
to:
- "use false, fictitious or fraudulent statements or documents
to get customer information from a financial institution or
directly from a customer of a financial institution.
- "use forged, counterfeit, lost, or stolen documents to get
customer information from a financial institution or directly
>from a customer of a financial institution.
- "ask another person to get someone else's customer
information using false, fictitious or fraudulent statements or
using false, fictitious or fraudulent documents or forged,
counterfeit, lost, or stolen documents."
In addition, the Federal Trade Commission Act also basically
prohibits pretexting for sensitive consumer information.
Unfortunately though, the boundaries of these laws are
ambiguous. Although the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act is limited to
financial data, it's unclear whether it also applies to
pretexters who obtain non-financial data. Further, some
pretexters claim that if the info isn't used illegally, then
the law does not apply.
Although there may be legal questions, there is no dispute
about how easy it is to obtain sensitive personal financial and
non-financial information.
How is pretexting related to identity theft? Pretexters can
either use the information themselves or sell your info to
scammers who then open new accounts, order products, borrow
money, etc. For example, they may open new bank accounts,
order a new cell phone, obtain a new credit card, or get a loan
in your name.
Six Recommendations to Protect Yourself from Pretexting
1. Don't give out your personal information on the phone, via
email or snail mail unless you've initiated the contact or
unless you're sure it's safe. Pretexters are especially
interested in information such as your SSN, mother's maiden
name, pet or child's name, bank, brokerage and credit card
account numbers, and phone company.
2. Never use your pet's name (or children's name) as a
password.
3. Ask your financial companies about their policies for
preventing pretexting.
4. Be VERY careful if you answer surveys -- and certainly don't
give out any personal information to anyone who calls on the
phone or asks via email. If you do answer survey questions,
use common sense and don't give out any information that could
be sold or used by pretexters.
5. Tell your family and friends about the dangers of
pretexting. You may want to share this ScamBusters issue on
pretexting with them.
6. Finally, follow all the other advice we've shared with you
on identity theft. You can find out more about identity theft
here:
http://www.scambusters.org/identitytheft.html
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
What's New With Identity Theft? New Standards.
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Last week, the American National Standards Institute, along
with AT&T, the Better Business Bureau, Citi, ChoicePoint, Dell,
Intersections Inc., Microsoft, Staples Inc., TransUnion and
Visa U.S.A. teamed up to create the Identity Theft Prevention
and Identity Management Standards Panel (IDSP).
The IDSP is a resource where organizations can get standards
and guidelines to help them prevent and respond to identity theft.
The IDSP has two main functions: 1) "it will endeavor to
identify and catalogue in one place any existing,
broadly-applicable identity theft and fraud prevention
standards and guidelines;" and 2) "it will identify areas where
updated or new standards are needed."
It is certainly a step forward that this kind of resource has
been created. The downside is that they estimate it will take
12 to 18 months to have their own set of requirements and best
practices available. For more info, visit:
http://www.ansi.org/standards_activities/s...p/overview.aspx
That's all for today -- we'll see you next week.
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Home Business Secrets - Here's a Funny Way To Make a Living
If you're serious about making money in a respectable, honest,
in-demand home-based business that's easy to run with almost
zero overhead then listen to this: There's big money in funny.
It's a fact. There are thousands of people in your area who
will happily pay you big bucks to make them laugh. And anyone
can do it. You don't have to be a comedian to be successful.
The income from this little-known home-based business can be
huge. You can start in an instant and work when you feel like
it. But the best part is, there's practically zero overhead,
so almost every dime you make is pure profit. Get the full
story now at:
http://scambusters.org/a/humor.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Become the Person Everyone Admires in 31 Days or Less
Successful people are confident -- in themselves, their
abilities, their value to others.
In fact, self-confidence is a large part of their success.
They know they can get just about anything they want just by
believing in themselves. And that confidence has a powerful
influence on the people they meet.
You, too, can develop the kind of confidence that commands
respect, makes people listen and demands admiration. And you
can do it in 31 days or less -- even if you're afraid to say
"hello" to your dog. Discover how to unlock your secret to
supreme self-confidence at:
http://scambusters.org/a/selfconfidence.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Looking for the Best Deals on Credit Cards?
If you're looking for a website with excellent credit card
offers (and you want to avoid scams), check this out...
This useful site is also very easy to navigate -- just click
on the type of credit card you're looking for (low interest,
excellent balance transfer rates, airline miles, student,
business, debit, etc.) on the nav bar -- and you'll find some
exceptional deals (US only).
You can also sign up for the excellent free credit card
newsletter. Visit:
http://www.verybestcreditcards.org
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
=====
About Internet ScamBusters - Administrivia
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
Sabu
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
http://www.scambusters.org
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Issue #197 September 20, 2006
Today we'll answer the question: What's New With Identity
Theft? We'll focus on pretexting, and also include some info on
a new identity theft standards group.
As always, we first recommend you check out the most popular
articles from our other sites during the past week (especially
the first one):
Gas Station Mishaps Lead to Valid Credit Cards Being Frozen
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/make_sure...serting_yo.html
When's The Last Time You Requested An Insurance Quote?
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/whens_the...ance_quote.html
Can Generic Groceries Really Live Up to Your Expectations?
http://www.consumertipsreports.org/generic...nal_brands.html
What You Need To Know About Health Food
http://www.dietingtipsetc.com/what_you_nee...ealth_food.html
Let's get going with today's info on identity theft and
pretexting...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
What's New With Identity Theft? Pretexting.
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Imagine getting a phone call from someone from a reputable
sounding research firm asking you to participate in a survey.
The questions they ask seem harmless, including the name of
your phone company, investment firm, and even your pet's name.
In reality, you may have just been a victim of pretexting.
Pretexting is the practice of getting your personal
information, such as your Social Security number (SSN),
telephone records, bank or credit card numbers, or any other
information, under false pretenses. In other words, a
pretexter pretends they are someone else to obtain your
personal information.
Pretexters use many different tactics to get your personal
information. One of the most common forms of pretexting is when
someone claims they are from a survey firm, and they ask you a
few questions, as in the example above.
Pretexters claim to be representatives from many different
types of organizations -- not just survey firms. For example,
pretexters may also claim to represent banks, government
agencies, local law enforcement agencies, Internet Service
Provides (ISPs), and many others.
The pretexter's goal is to obtain personal information about
you, such as your SSN, your bank or credit card account
numbers, mother's maiden name, information contained in your
credit report, or the existence and size of your savings and
investment portfolios.
After getting your answers, the pretexter may call your
financial institution pretending to be you or someone with
authorized access to your account. The pretexter may, for
example, claim that he's forgotten his checkbook and needs
information about his account.
The concept of pretexting has become much more widely known in
the past couple of weeks in conjunction with the boardroom
scandal at Hewlett-Packard. HP has admitted that it hired a
private investigator who was able to get phone records of HP
board members by using a contractor who pretended to be the
board members to obtain the detailed phone logs.
It has been widely reported that the contractor also used
pretexting to get the phone records of nine reporters.
Pretexters often sell the data they've collected to "data
brokers," who may sell it to private investigators, or to
scammers who want to commit identity theft.
Often, once they know which bank or brokerage firm you use
along with your SSN, they can often access your account just by
figuring out your password -- which unfortunately is often the
victim's pet or child's name.
The concept of pretexting is certainly not new. For example,
in 1992, ComputerWorld magazine reported that scammers used
pretexting to obtain individual data from the Social Security
Administration by calling when the computers were down.
Pretexters are using increasingly sophisticated methods,
including using electronic devices that show false phone
numbers on caller ID systems, and paying companies to make
calls for them to disguise the true origin of the pretexting
call.
In fact, scammers today also use pretexting to get info from
call centers at banks, phone companies, and other financial
institutions to gain access to personal sensitive info.
You might be wondering: isn't pretexting illegal? There is a
law in the US, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. According to the
Federal Trade Commission, this act makes it illegal for anyone
to:
- "use false, fictitious or fraudulent statements or documents
to get customer information from a financial institution or
directly from a customer of a financial institution.
- "use forged, counterfeit, lost, or stolen documents to get
customer information from a financial institution or directly
>from a customer of a financial institution.
- "ask another person to get someone else's customer
information using false, fictitious or fraudulent statements or
using false, fictitious or fraudulent documents or forged,
counterfeit, lost, or stolen documents."
In addition, the Federal Trade Commission Act also basically
prohibits pretexting for sensitive consumer information.
Unfortunately though, the boundaries of these laws are
ambiguous. Although the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act is limited to
financial data, it's unclear whether it also applies to
pretexters who obtain non-financial data. Further, some
pretexters claim that if the info isn't used illegally, then
the law does not apply.
Although there may be legal questions, there is no dispute
about how easy it is to obtain sensitive personal financial and
non-financial information.
How is pretexting related to identity theft? Pretexters can
either use the information themselves or sell your info to
scammers who then open new accounts, order products, borrow
money, etc. For example, they may open new bank accounts,
order a new cell phone, obtain a new credit card, or get a loan
in your name.
Six Recommendations to Protect Yourself from Pretexting
1. Don't give out your personal information on the phone, via
email or snail mail unless you've initiated the contact or
unless you're sure it's safe. Pretexters are especially
interested in information such as your SSN, mother's maiden
name, pet or child's name, bank, brokerage and credit card
account numbers, and phone company.
2. Never use your pet's name (or children's name) as a
password.
3. Ask your financial companies about their policies for
preventing pretexting.
4. Be VERY careful if you answer surveys -- and certainly don't
give out any personal information to anyone who calls on the
phone or asks via email. If you do answer survey questions,
use common sense and don't give out any information that could
be sold or used by pretexters.
5. Tell your family and friends about the dangers of
pretexting. You may want to share this ScamBusters issue on
pretexting with them.
6. Finally, follow all the other advice we've shared with you
on identity theft. You can find out more about identity theft
here:
http://www.scambusters.org/identitytheft.html
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
What's New With Identity Theft? New Standards.
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Last week, the American National Standards Institute, along
with AT&T, the Better Business Bureau, Citi, ChoicePoint, Dell,
Intersections Inc., Microsoft, Staples Inc., TransUnion and
Visa U.S.A. teamed up to create the Identity Theft Prevention
and Identity Management Standards Panel (IDSP).
The IDSP is a resource where organizations can get standards
and guidelines to help them prevent and respond to identity theft.
The IDSP has two main functions: 1) "it will endeavor to
identify and catalogue in one place any existing,
broadly-applicable identity theft and fraud prevention
standards and guidelines;" and 2) "it will identify areas where
updated or new standards are needed."
It is certainly a step forward that this kind of resource has
been created. The downside is that they estimate it will take
12 to 18 months to have their own set of requirements and best
practices available. For more info, visit:
http://www.ansi.org/standards_activities/s...p/overview.aspx
That's all for today -- we'll see you next week.
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Home Business Secrets - Here's a Funny Way To Make a Living
If you're serious about making money in a respectable, honest,
in-demand home-based business that's easy to run with almost
zero overhead then listen to this: There's big money in funny.
It's a fact. There are thousands of people in your area who
will happily pay you big bucks to make them laugh. And anyone
can do it. You don't have to be a comedian to be successful.
The income from this little-known home-based business can be
huge. You can start in an instant and work when you feel like
it. But the best part is, there's practically zero overhead,
so almost every dime you make is pure profit. Get the full
story now at:
http://scambusters.org/a/humor.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Become the Person Everyone Admires in 31 Days or Less
Successful people are confident -- in themselves, their
abilities, their value to others.
In fact, self-confidence is a large part of their success.
They know they can get just about anything they want just by
believing in themselves. And that confidence has a powerful
influence on the people they meet.
You, too, can develop the kind of confidence that commands
respect, makes people listen and demands admiration. And you
can do it in 31 days or less -- even if you're afraid to say
"hello" to your dog. Discover how to unlock your secret to
supreme self-confidence at:
http://scambusters.org/a/selfconfidence.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Looking for the Best Deals on Credit Cards?
If you're looking for a website with excellent credit card
offers (and you want to avoid scams), check this out...
This useful site is also very easy to navigate -- just click
on the type of credit card you're looking for (low interest,
excellent balance transfer rates, airline miles, student,
business, debit, etc.) on the nav bar -- and you'll find some
exceptional deals (US only).
You can also sign up for the excellent free credit card
newsletter. Visit:
http://www.verybestcreditcards.org
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
=====
About Internet ScamBusters - Administrivia
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
Sabu
Internet ScamBusters ™
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
http://www.scambusters.org
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Issue #198 September 27, 2006
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Today we have three interesting Snippets for you:
- Free credit reports: one year later
- New Monster.com scam
- "Doctored" online printable coupons are making the rounds
However, before we begin today's Snippets, we first encourage
you to take a look at this week's most popular articles from
our other sites:
The Credit Card Just Got a Makeover
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/the_credi...a_makeover.html
How to Save Big on Winter Clothing
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/winter_clothing_woes.html
Avoid Getting on a "For Sale" Donators' List When You Give to
Charity
http://www.consumertipsreports.org/wanted_...s_for_sale.html
Why Nintendo DS Lite Is Such a Hot Gift
http://www.wowgiftideas.com/nintendo_ds_li..._gift_ever.html
Let's get started...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Free credit reports: one year later
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
This month marks the one-year anniversary of the law that
entitles Americans to get free copies of their credit reports
>from each of the three main credit bureaus every year.
The New York Times reviewed the success of this law this past
weekend. We thought we'd share their conclusions with you.
According to the author, M. P. Dunleavey, getting your free
credit report "has now joined the ranks of other dreaded
procedures -- like mammograms, colonoscopies and regular dental
cleanings. You know it's for your own good, but it sure doesn't
feel that way." ;-)
Last year, we described the program in our article on free
credit reports:
http://www.scambusters.org/freecreditreport.html
There is only one website, AnnualCreditReport.com, where you
can order or download your free credit reports.
http://www.annualcreditreport.com
Unfortunately, studies have found that there are over one
hundred fraudulent sites that are misspellings of the real
site!
The three main credit bureaus set up sites to offer you free
credit reports if you sign up for their "free-to-pay" credit
monitoring services.
Free-to-pay monitoring means you sign up for a free trial
period and then get charged automatically beyond the trial
period for credit monitoring. The FTC sued Experian last year
over its free-to-pay credit monitoring services. Experian
settled and paid the FTC $950,000.
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the free credit
reports program is how difficult it is to correct errors.
According to one study, 25% of all credit reports contain
errors! You need to keep very careful records and be very
persistent in order to successfully dispute errors.
Nonetheless, we do believe the free credit reports program is
valuable, despite the problems. It's very important to review
your credit reports regularly.
For more info on free credit reports, check out the New York
Times article (registration required):
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/23/business/23instincts.html
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
New Monster.com scam
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
We've had a lot of subscribers ask about the email job offer
going around, supposedly from Monster.com.
The vast majority of job scams have been overpayment scams, as
we described here:
http://www.scambusters.org/overpayment.html
However, this new job scam seems to be widespread. The most
common version has the Subject: "Job Offer: Shipping and
Receiving Clerk."
The email starts with the name of the company and its mission
statement. It then goes on to describe the position, offers
excellent benefits, and states reasonable requirements.
The most "interesting" part is the starting salary: $70-80 per
sent package!
You can see a copy of the scam email here:
http://www1.ietf.org/spam-archive/fecframe/msg00239.html
Although the From address of the version on this website is
different than the ones we've seen, they are all from .de
extensions. (Naturally, scammers can and will use any domain
extensions, so don't assume you are safe just because a domain
extension is reasonable.)
We also noticed that the domain name was registered only a
couple of days before the emails were sent, which is another
red flag.
Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
"Doctored" online printable coupons are making the rounds
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Imagine receiving an email with an online coupon for $3 off a
$3 item that you usually buy. Sounds great -- but is it real?
Often, it's not.
Here's how it works: scammers are taking legitimate coupons and
doctoring them into fraudulent ones. For example, the $3
coupon we just mentioned may well have really been a "30 cents
off" coupon.
Unfortunately, you look like the con artist when you try to use
it at the grocery store -- not the cyber-scammer who created
the doctored coupon.
So how do you avoid embarrassing yourself at the checkout and
unknowingly committing coupon fraud?
Don't trust any online coupon that doesn't come directly from a
manufacturer or from a manufacturer's authorized
representative. Avoid coupons that are sent to you via email
unless you've specifically requested that kind of mailing.
By being skeptical, as well as making sure that all of your
printable coupons come directly from a manufacturer or a
reputable source, you can save yourself a lot of embarrassment
and grief.
Time to wrap up for today -- have a great week!
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
"Exclusive Car Buying Guide Exposes Insider Secrets and Turns
Auto Sales Industry Upside Down... Saving You Up To $5,000 On
Your New Or Used Car!"
How you can pay less for your new or used car and avoid the
typical car buying blunders almost everyone makes:
ex-dealership manager tells all...
Peter Humleker, the ex-general manager of a popular new car
dealership, exposes the best-kept "insider secrets" on how to
outsmart any car salesman and stop him from shamelessly
siphoning money out of your pockets...
In fact, he can help you become a shrewd car-buying expert in
just a couple of hours!
Here's what two readers have to say about Peter's book:
"Greetings, Peter. Well, I went over your ebook and bought
a Nissan Altima 3.5 SL for $250 under invoice. And the
dealer's invoice was less than the other figures I saw on
the Internet... Please accept my heartfelt thanks for your
publication. It saved me thousands of my after tax dollars."
-- Walter G. Aiello, Ph.D., Manager, Network and
Information Services, Duke University Medical Center
...
"I was a former Finance Manager in the car business and
got your book mostly out of curiosity. I was pretty
surprised when I read your section on the Finance
Department! You certainly didn't hold anything back.
"You exposed every scam in existence plus some I never
even knew about. Everyone who reads your book is going
to thank you for saving them a lot of money."
-- Jerry Goettig, Former Finance Manager, Southern California
This is a great time to buy a car or truck -- but only if you
know the truth about how NOT to get taken and how to get a
great deal. Visit now for details:
http://scambusters.org/a/cartips.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
"10 Simple Steps To Succeed As An Affiliate For Under $100"
If you're looking for a PROVEN way to earn money with an
online business you can do from home -- instead of wasting
your time with pie-in-the-sky, disappointing opportunities
that are just hype -- this message is for you.
There IS a real way to make money online as an affiliate. It's
fast, easy, and you do NOT need a lot of money to get started.
This short report will show you everything you need to know to
get started now. Visit now for details:
http://scambusters.org/a/affiliatesuccessplan.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Practically Everything You Wanted To Know About Chocolate...
But Didn't Know Who To Ask!
The feedback we've been getting about our chocolate book has
been perhaps the best response we've ever gotten on any of our
ebooks.
Here is just one of the comments from one of our readers:
"What a 'sweet' easy read! I read Chocolate, Chocolate, and
More Chocolate from beginning to end the moment I
downloaded it. I love it. As a confirmed 'chocoholic,' I
can now show all those skeptics that I have good reasons to
love and worship this heavenly food.
"Being my family's designated dessert supplier has just
gotten a whole lot easier with the many mouthwatering
recipes to choose from. The Chocolate Pecan Pie will
definitely be my new 'favorite.' Entertaining and
informative... the perfect setting for the perfect
treat..... Chocolate!"
-- Yvonne Finn, herbalhealthyskin.com, Toronto, Canada
Discover at least 7 new ways to enjoy chocolate even more --
or your money back!
To deeply satisfy your passion for chocolate -- and save 50%
on our Introductory Special Offer, visit:
http://scambusters.org/a/chocolate.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
=====
About Internet ScamBusters - Administrivia
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
To subscribe, visit: http://www.scambusters.org/
Sabu
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
http://www.scambusters.org
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Issue #198 September 27, 2006
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Today we have three interesting Snippets for you:
- Free credit reports: one year later
- New Monster.com scam
- "Doctored" online printable coupons are making the rounds
However, before we begin today's Snippets, we first encourage
you to take a look at this week's most popular articles from
our other sites:
The Credit Card Just Got a Makeover
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/the_credi...a_makeover.html
How to Save Big on Winter Clothing
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/winter_clothing_woes.html
Avoid Getting on a "For Sale" Donators' List When You Give to
Charity
http://www.consumertipsreports.org/wanted_...s_for_sale.html
Why Nintendo DS Lite Is Such a Hot Gift
http://www.wowgiftideas.com/nintendo_ds_li..._gift_ever.html
Let's get started...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Free credit reports: one year later
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
This month marks the one-year anniversary of the law that
entitles Americans to get free copies of their credit reports
>from each of the three main credit bureaus every year.
The New York Times reviewed the success of this law this past
weekend. We thought we'd share their conclusions with you.
According to the author, M. P. Dunleavey, getting your free
credit report "has now joined the ranks of other dreaded
procedures -- like mammograms, colonoscopies and regular dental
cleanings. You know it's for your own good, but it sure doesn't
feel that way." ;-)
Last year, we described the program in our article on free
credit reports:
http://www.scambusters.org/freecreditreport.html
There is only one website, AnnualCreditReport.com, where you
can order or download your free credit reports.
http://www.annualcreditreport.com
Unfortunately, studies have found that there are over one
hundred fraudulent sites that are misspellings of the real
site!
The three main credit bureaus set up sites to offer you free
credit reports if you sign up for their "free-to-pay" credit
monitoring services.
Free-to-pay monitoring means you sign up for a free trial
period and then get charged automatically beyond the trial
period for credit monitoring. The FTC sued Experian last year
over its free-to-pay credit monitoring services. Experian
settled and paid the FTC $950,000.
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the free credit
reports program is how difficult it is to correct errors.
According to one study, 25% of all credit reports contain
errors! You need to keep very careful records and be very
persistent in order to successfully dispute errors.
Nonetheless, we do believe the free credit reports program is
valuable, despite the problems. It's very important to review
your credit reports regularly.
For more info on free credit reports, check out the New York
Times article (registration required):
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/23/business/23instincts.html
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
New Monster.com scam
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
We've had a lot of subscribers ask about the email job offer
going around, supposedly from Monster.com.
The vast majority of job scams have been overpayment scams, as
we described here:
http://www.scambusters.org/overpayment.html
However, this new job scam seems to be widespread. The most
common version has the Subject: "Job Offer: Shipping and
Receiving Clerk."
The email starts with the name of the company and its mission
statement. It then goes on to describe the position, offers
excellent benefits, and states reasonable requirements.
The most "interesting" part is the starting salary: $70-80 per
sent package!
You can see a copy of the scam email here:
http://www1.ietf.org/spam-archive/fecframe/msg00239.html
Although the From address of the version on this website is
different than the ones we've seen, they are all from .de
extensions. (Naturally, scammers can and will use any domain
extensions, so don't assume you are safe just because a domain
extension is reasonable.)
We also noticed that the domain name was registered only a
couple of days before the emails were sent, which is another
red flag.
Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
"Doctored" online printable coupons are making the rounds
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Imagine receiving an email with an online coupon for $3 off a
$3 item that you usually buy. Sounds great -- but is it real?
Often, it's not.
Here's how it works: scammers are taking legitimate coupons and
doctoring them into fraudulent ones. For example, the $3
coupon we just mentioned may well have really been a "30 cents
off" coupon.
Unfortunately, you look like the con artist when you try to use
it at the grocery store -- not the cyber-scammer who created
the doctored coupon.
So how do you avoid embarrassing yourself at the checkout and
unknowingly committing coupon fraud?
Don't trust any online coupon that doesn't come directly from a
manufacturer or from a manufacturer's authorized
representative. Avoid coupons that are sent to you via email
unless you've specifically requested that kind of mailing.
By being skeptical, as well as making sure that all of your
printable coupons come directly from a manufacturer or a
reputable source, you can save yourself a lot of embarrassment
and grief.
Time to wrap up for today -- have a great week!
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
"Exclusive Car Buying Guide Exposes Insider Secrets and Turns
Auto Sales Industry Upside Down... Saving You Up To $5,000 On
Your New Or Used Car!"
How you can pay less for your new or used car and avoid the
typical car buying blunders almost everyone makes:
ex-dealership manager tells all...
Peter Humleker, the ex-general manager of a popular new car
dealership, exposes the best-kept "insider secrets" on how to
outsmart any car salesman and stop him from shamelessly
siphoning money out of your pockets...
In fact, he can help you become a shrewd car-buying expert in
just a couple of hours!
Here's what two readers have to say about Peter's book:
"Greetings, Peter. Well, I went over your ebook and bought
a Nissan Altima 3.5 SL for $250 under invoice. And the
dealer's invoice was less than the other figures I saw on
the Internet... Please accept my heartfelt thanks for your
publication. It saved me thousands of my after tax dollars."
-- Walter G. Aiello, Ph.D., Manager, Network and
Information Services, Duke University Medical Center
...
"I was a former Finance Manager in the car business and
got your book mostly out of curiosity. I was pretty
surprised when I read your section on the Finance
Department! You certainly didn't hold anything back.
"You exposed every scam in existence plus some I never
even knew about. Everyone who reads your book is going
to thank you for saving them a lot of money."
-- Jerry Goettig, Former Finance Manager, Southern California
This is a great time to buy a car or truck -- but only if you
know the truth about how NOT to get taken and how to get a
great deal. Visit now for details:
http://scambusters.org/a/cartips.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
"10 Simple Steps To Succeed As An Affiliate For Under $100"
If you're looking for a PROVEN way to earn money with an
online business you can do from home -- instead of wasting
your time with pie-in-the-sky, disappointing opportunities
that are just hype -- this message is for you.
There IS a real way to make money online as an affiliate. It's
fast, easy, and you do NOT need a lot of money to get started.
This short report will show you everything you need to know to
get started now. Visit now for details:
http://scambusters.org/a/affiliatesuccessplan.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Practically Everything You Wanted To Know About Chocolate...
But Didn't Know Who To Ask!
The feedback we've been getting about our chocolate book has
been perhaps the best response we've ever gotten on any of our
ebooks.
Here is just one of the comments from one of our readers:
"What a 'sweet' easy read! I read Chocolate, Chocolate, and
More Chocolate from beginning to end the moment I
downloaded it. I love it. As a confirmed 'chocoholic,' I
can now show all those skeptics that I have good reasons to
love and worship this heavenly food.
"Being my family's designated dessert supplier has just
gotten a whole lot easier with the many mouthwatering
recipes to choose from. The Chocolate Pecan Pie will
definitely be my new 'favorite.' Entertaining and
informative... the perfect setting for the perfect
treat..... Chocolate!"
-- Yvonne Finn, herbalhealthyskin.com, Toronto, Canada
Discover at least 7 new ways to enjoy chocolate even more --
or your money back!
To deeply satisfy your passion for chocolate -- and save 50%
on our Introductory Special Offer, visit:
http://scambusters.org/a/chocolate.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
=====
About Internet ScamBusters - Administrivia
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
To subscribe, visit: http://www.scambusters.org/
Sabu
Internet ScamBusters ™
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
http://www.scambusters.org
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Issue #199 October 4, 2006
We've been getting so many good questions from subscribers, we
decided to do another subscriber Q&A issue today. You'll find
out the answers to:
- Are Telamonia dimidiata spiders being found under airplane
toilet seats -- and can they really kill you?
- Does my sister really have $7900 of unclaimed funds coming to
her?
- Should I brace myself for an onslaught of political spaham?
However, before we check out the answers of these questions, we
first encourage you to take a look at this week's most popular
articles from our other sites:
Why You Need to Take Special Precautions When Throwing Credit
Cards Away
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/safely_di...edit_cards.html
How Opening a Children's Bank Account Can Be Beneficial for
Your Child
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/the_impor...nk_account.html
Five of the Hottest Money-Saving Websites on the Web
http://www.consumertipsreports.org/five_of..._the_web_1.html
Ideas for Great Halloween Gifts
http://www.wowgiftideas.com/ideas_for_grea...ween_gifts.html
Let's begin...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Internet ScamBusters Q&A
Question: Right after seeing the movie Snakes on a Plane, I got
an email warning that spiders called the Telamonia dimidiata
were found under an airplane toilet seat on a flight from
India, and they had killed several people on the plane. Is this
true or just another hoax?
Answer: It's a hoax. This urban legend seems to have originated
about seven years ago.
The initial email hoax involving the story was easily
recognized as a fake because the spider species in the story
was fictitious (arachnius gluteus), so it was easy to disprove.
Of course, those who propagate urban legends can't let a "good"
story die, so they had to do something about the believability
factor.
To make the story more credible, the story was rewritten to
include an actual spider species, Telamonia dimidiata. The
story also now mentions a medical journal (Journal of the
United Medical Association) where this incident supposedly
was reported, but this medical journal doesn't exist.
The two most common current versions of this story are: 1. the
Telamonia dimidiata spiders are appearing in North Florida and
came from airplanes from India; and 2. the spiders are from
South America and were found hiding under toilet seats in a
restaurant in Chicago's (nonexistent) Blaire Airport.
Many of the current emails also often mention the Civilian
Aeronautics Board (CAB), which never existed. The similar
sounding Civil Aeronautics Board was abolished in 1984.
While it's not unheard of for spiders to take up residence in a
public bathroom, toilet seats themselves are not a habitat of
choice, and the disinfectants used to clean airplane toilets
would probably displace them shortly.
Perhaps the only true part of the story is that the Telamonia
dimidiata is a real species of spider from Indonesia and India,
but its venom is harmless.
So, although there are many legitimate concerns regarding
airplane travel, finding deadly Telamonia dimidiata spiders
under the toilet seats is definitely a low priority worry. ;-)
~~~
Question: My sister was recently contacted that she and her
husband (who is deceased) have unclaimed money in the amount of
over $7900. They are not asking for any money up front, but do
charge a 15% fee of the money collected. Do you know of any
scams regarding this? I think it is a scam.
Answer: Whereas this is not an outright scam, you can recover
any unclaimed money that is owed to you by yourself quite
easily -- and there is no cost for this. We've written about
how to do this here:
http://www.scambusters.org/unclaimed-money.html
http://www.scambusters.org/unclaimed-funds.html
~~~
Question: I heard that I'm going to be getting an excessive
amount of political spaham (as you call it). Should I brace
myself for a huge amount of new spaham, or is this just an
urban legend?
Answer: Many experts are quite concerned that we all will
indeed get a huge amount of political spaham (from both
parties) during this election season.
They predict that a new loophole in the regulations approved by
the Federal Election Commission in March, which governs
election spending, will most likely produce an onslaught of
political spaham.
This exemption to the election spending regulations allows
wealthy individuals to make unlimited contributions to be used
for Internet communications -- without having to disclose
either the identity of the donor or the amount contributed.
Companies that sell email addresses to political campaigns have
been rapidly expanding their staffs over the past several
months.
Critics have been very worried that the amount of political
spaham will grow exponentially during this fall campaign
season.
Bloggers supported the idea that their writing should not be
regulated and should be seen different from campaign
contributions.
This is a complicated issue. There are important First
Amendment issues here. Regardless, it is likely that you'll be
receiving a torrent of political spaham shortly, if it hasn't
started already. (We hope we're wrong on this, btw.)
That's all for now. Have a wonderful week.
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Are You Sabotaging Your Own Success?
Most people do. No matter how close they come, something
always seems to hold them back. Truly successful people know
what it is, and how to defeat it without struggle. Do you?
The good news is there is a simple approach almost anyone can
use to make their life a smashing success.
"Absolute magic! 'How to Control Your Destiny Through Your
Attitude' provides the tools to help you create the life
you want for yourself. It's almost hard to believe that
it's so simple - yet it works like a charm!"
-- Michele Paccione, DanceGlam .com, Harrington Park, NJ
"If you could read only one book to help you transform your
life into a smashing success -- this should be it!"
-- Bill Heinrich, Founder and CEO, Symmetry Springs
If you'd like a real way to improve any area of your life in
the next 30 days and achieve what has seemed impossible to you
until now -- visit:
http://scambusters.org/a/attitude.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
101 Mouthwatering Cholesterol Lowering Recipes
Anyone trying to lower their cholesterol knows the first thing
any doctor will tell you is "watch what you eat." But low and
no-cholesterol foods won't do much to force your cholesterol
lower.
That's why you need to eat cholesterol-lowering foods as well.
They trigger your body's "cholesterol furnace," driving your
cholesterol level down naturally.
Dr. Chris Hart and Amy Carey have just published a collection
of 101 cholesterol lowering recipes that combine
low-cholesterol and cholesterol-lowering foods to help you
drop your cholesterol level quickly, easily and naturally.
Best of all they taste great, too! And, you'll find special
bonuses to help you make any holiday meal healthier... without
sacrificing the taste.
Discover more about this unique collection of cholesterol
lowering recipes here:
http://scambusters.org/a/cholesterolrecipes.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Small Business Owners: Exactly What You Need to Know to
Succeed in Any Economy
Worried about high gas prices and how deeply they'll affect
your profits? Got a plan in place in case the economy heads
south? Want a foolproof way to boost sales without boosting
costs, no matter what the economy is like?
Discover how a handful of savvy small business owners are
banking big profits by doing what you're not -- even when the
economy is down. Get the full story at:
http://scambusters.org/a/rich.html
About Internet ScamBusters - Administrivia
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
To subscribe, visit: http://www.scambusters.org/
You can now find the current issue of Internet ScamBusters
online at:
http://www.scambusters.org/spiders.html
a must Newsletter!
Sabu
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
http://www.scambusters.org
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Issue #199 October 4, 2006
We've been getting so many good questions from subscribers, we
decided to do another subscriber Q&A issue today. You'll find
out the answers to:
- Are Telamonia dimidiata spiders being found under airplane
toilet seats -- and can they really kill you?
- Does my sister really have $7900 of unclaimed funds coming to
her?
- Should I brace myself for an onslaught of political spaham?
However, before we check out the answers of these questions, we
first encourage you to take a look at this week's most popular
articles from our other sites:
Why You Need to Take Special Precautions When Throwing Credit
Cards Away
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/safely_di...edit_cards.html
How Opening a Children's Bank Account Can Be Beneficial for
Your Child
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/the_impor...nk_account.html
Five of the Hottest Money-Saving Websites on the Web
http://www.consumertipsreports.org/five_of..._the_web_1.html
Ideas for Great Halloween Gifts
http://www.wowgiftideas.com/ideas_for_grea...ween_gifts.html
Let's begin...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Internet ScamBusters Q&A
Question: Right after seeing the movie Snakes on a Plane, I got
an email warning that spiders called the Telamonia dimidiata
were found under an airplane toilet seat on a flight from
India, and they had killed several people on the plane. Is this
true or just another hoax?
Answer: It's a hoax. This urban legend seems to have originated
about seven years ago.
The initial email hoax involving the story was easily
recognized as a fake because the spider species in the story
was fictitious (arachnius gluteus), so it was easy to disprove.
Of course, those who propagate urban legends can't let a "good"
story die, so they had to do something about the believability
factor.
To make the story more credible, the story was rewritten to
include an actual spider species, Telamonia dimidiata. The
story also now mentions a medical journal (Journal of the
United Medical Association) where this incident supposedly
was reported, but this medical journal doesn't exist.
The two most common current versions of this story are: 1. the
Telamonia dimidiata spiders are appearing in North Florida and
came from airplanes from India; and 2. the spiders are from
South America and were found hiding under toilet seats in a
restaurant in Chicago's (nonexistent) Blaire Airport.
Many of the current emails also often mention the Civilian
Aeronautics Board (CAB), which never existed. The similar
sounding Civil Aeronautics Board was abolished in 1984.
While it's not unheard of for spiders to take up residence in a
public bathroom, toilet seats themselves are not a habitat of
choice, and the disinfectants used to clean airplane toilets
would probably displace them shortly.
Perhaps the only true part of the story is that the Telamonia
dimidiata is a real species of spider from Indonesia and India,
but its venom is harmless.
So, although there are many legitimate concerns regarding
airplane travel, finding deadly Telamonia dimidiata spiders
under the toilet seats is definitely a low priority worry. ;-)
~~~
Question: My sister was recently contacted that she and her
husband (who is deceased) have unclaimed money in the amount of
over $7900. They are not asking for any money up front, but do
charge a 15% fee of the money collected. Do you know of any
scams regarding this? I think it is a scam.
Answer: Whereas this is not an outright scam, you can recover
any unclaimed money that is owed to you by yourself quite
easily -- and there is no cost for this. We've written about
how to do this here:
http://www.scambusters.org/unclaimed-money.html
http://www.scambusters.org/unclaimed-funds.html
~~~
Question: I heard that I'm going to be getting an excessive
amount of political spaham (as you call it). Should I brace
myself for a huge amount of new spaham, or is this just an
urban legend?
Answer: Many experts are quite concerned that we all will
indeed get a huge amount of political spaham (from both
parties) during this election season.
They predict that a new loophole in the regulations approved by
the Federal Election Commission in March, which governs
election spending, will most likely produce an onslaught of
political spaham.
This exemption to the election spending regulations allows
wealthy individuals to make unlimited contributions to be used
for Internet communications -- without having to disclose
either the identity of the donor or the amount contributed.
Companies that sell email addresses to political campaigns have
been rapidly expanding their staffs over the past several
months.
Critics have been very worried that the amount of political
spaham will grow exponentially during this fall campaign
season.
Bloggers supported the idea that their writing should not be
regulated and should be seen different from campaign
contributions.
This is a complicated issue. There are important First
Amendment issues here. Regardless, it is likely that you'll be
receiving a torrent of political spaham shortly, if it hasn't
started already. (We hope we're wrong on this, btw.)
That's all for now. Have a wonderful week.
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Are You Sabotaging Your Own Success?
Most people do. No matter how close they come, something
always seems to hold them back. Truly successful people know
what it is, and how to defeat it without struggle. Do you?
The good news is there is a simple approach almost anyone can
use to make their life a smashing success.
"Absolute magic! 'How to Control Your Destiny Through Your
Attitude' provides the tools to help you create the life
you want for yourself. It's almost hard to believe that
it's so simple - yet it works like a charm!"
-- Michele Paccione, DanceGlam .com, Harrington Park, NJ
"If you could read only one book to help you transform your
life into a smashing success -- this should be it!"
-- Bill Heinrich, Founder and CEO, Symmetry Springs
If you'd like a real way to improve any area of your life in
the next 30 days and achieve what has seemed impossible to you
until now -- visit:
http://scambusters.org/a/attitude.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
101 Mouthwatering Cholesterol Lowering Recipes
Anyone trying to lower their cholesterol knows the first thing
any doctor will tell you is "watch what you eat." But low and
no-cholesterol foods won't do much to force your cholesterol
lower.
That's why you need to eat cholesterol-lowering foods as well.
They trigger your body's "cholesterol furnace," driving your
cholesterol level down naturally.
Dr. Chris Hart and Amy Carey have just published a collection
of 101 cholesterol lowering recipes that combine
low-cholesterol and cholesterol-lowering foods to help you
drop your cholesterol level quickly, easily and naturally.
Best of all they taste great, too! And, you'll find special
bonuses to help you make any holiday meal healthier... without
sacrificing the taste.
Discover more about this unique collection of cholesterol
lowering recipes here:
http://scambusters.org/a/cholesterolrecipes.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Small Business Owners: Exactly What You Need to Know to
Succeed in Any Economy
Worried about high gas prices and how deeply they'll affect
your profits? Got a plan in place in case the economy heads
south? Want a foolproof way to boost sales without boosting
costs, no matter what the economy is like?
Discover how a handful of savvy small business owners are
banking big profits by doing what you're not -- even when the
economy is down. Get the full story at:
http://scambusters.org/a/rich.html
About Internet ScamBusters - Administrivia
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
To subscribe, visit: http://www.scambusters.org/
You can now find the current issue of Internet ScamBusters
online at:
http://www.scambusters.org/spiders.html
a must Newsletter!
Sabu
the current issue of Internet ScamBusters is now online at:
http://www.scambusters.org/identity-theft.html
Sabu
http://www.scambusters.org/identity-theft.html
Sabu
the current issue of Internet ScamBusters is now online at:
http://www.scambusters.org/creditcardfraudprevention.html
Sabu
http://www.scambusters.org/creditcardfraudprevention.html
Sabu
You can now find the current issue of Internet ScamBusters
online at:
http://www.scambusters.org/secretshoppers.html
Sabu
online at:
http://www.scambusters.org/secretshoppers.html
Sabu
You can now find the current issue of Internet ScamBusters
online at:
http://www.scambusters.org/work-at-home-scams.html
Sabu
online at:
http://www.scambusters.org/work-at-home-scams.html
Sabu
You can now find the current issue of Internet ScamBusters
online at:
http://www.scambusters.org/socialsecuritynumber.html
Sabu
online at:
http://www.scambusters.org/socialsecuritynumber.html
Sabu
You can now find the current issue of Internet ScamBusters
online at:
http://www.scambusters.org/onlineauctions.html
Sabu
online at:
http://www.scambusters.org/onlineauctions.html
Sabu
Internet ScamBusters ™
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
http://www.scambusters.org
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Issue #206 November 22, 2006
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
As we head into the Thanksgiving weekend here in the US, we
thought we'd keep this issue a bit lighter and focus on
whether or not these three popular stories are urban legends
or actually true:
- Does eating turkey make you sleepy?
- Was aspartame (the artificial sweetener) originally created
to be an ant poison?
- Did numbers recommended by a fortune cookie really lead to a
lottery win?
First, though, we recommend you check out the most popular
articles from our other sites during the past week (we're
going to start including some holiday articles during the
holiday season):
Experiment Reveals Some Surprising Truths about Identity Theft
http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/identity...t_too_easy.html
Shopping Secrets of Savvy Consumers
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/shopping_..._consumers.html
The Importance of a Free Credit Report
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/the_impor...dit_report.html
Holiday Articles:
Top-Secret Turkey Cooking Tips For Thanksgiving
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/topsecret...anksgiving.html
The History of Santa Claus's Wife
http://www.christmaslore.com/the_history_o...lauss_wife.html
Chocolate Lovers Can Try This Tasty Christmas Craft
http://www.aboutchristmascrafts.com/chocol...tmas_craft.html
On to today's urban legends...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Does eating turkey make you sleepy?
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
A popular urban legend asserts that eating makes you unusually
drowsy. Since Thanksgiving is coming up, subscribers asked us
if this was true or merely another urban legend. In other
words, is there actually something in turkey that causes
sleepiness?
Although the answer is clear, it is not as simple as you might
think.
Turkey does contains tryptophan, which is an amino acid that
is a natural sedative. However, in order to produce this
effect, there must be no protein present and tryptophan must
be taken on an empty stomach. Since turkey obviously has
protein, this is an urban legend.
Further, the amount of tryptophan you consume (even during a
huge Thanksgiving feast) is too small to make a significant
difference. Plus, beef and soybeans contain more tryptophan
than turkey.
So, why do people feel so tired after Thanksgiving dinner?
There are quite a few potential causes, including overeating
(especially lots of carbohydrates) and drinking alcohol.
You can find more urban legends related to Thanksgiving here:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/thanksgivinglore/
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Was aspartame originally created to be an ant poison?
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Another popular story, unrelated to Thanksgiving, is that
aspartame (marketed as NutraSweet ®) was originally created
to be an ant poison, but was turned into a sweetener when it
was recognized that a lot more money could be made if it was
sold as an artificial sweetener.
Is this true? No, it's false.
Aspartame was developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s by
G.D. Searle expressly as an artificial sweetener. Both
saccharin and cyclamates already existed, but many consumers
found that saccharin had a bitter aftertaste and cyclamates
had been banned because of a potential link with bladder
cancer.
The connection between aspartame and ant poison actually comes
>from a spoof article called "FDA Certifies Aspartame as Ant
Poison," which you can find here:
http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s5i11213
The article ends by saying: "The story above is a satire or
parody. It is entirely fictitious."
Finally, there is no evidence whatsoever that aspartame kills
ants.
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Did numbers recommended by a fortune cookie really lead to a
lottery win?
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
We've all heard folklore about how fortune cookies have led to
people winning lotteries and other fortunes, but has this
actually ever happened?
The answer might surprise you: Yes.
Here's what happened: According to Snopes, this occurred
during the March 30, 2005, Powerball drawing.
Although there was only one winner of the $13.8 million
jackpot, there were 110 people who claimed the second prize
for matching the first five of the six numbers drawn. This
second prize was either $100,000 or $500,000, depending on if
the entrant paid the extra dollar for multiple wins.
Powerball officials suspected fraud, since there are typically
only four or five second prize winners, not 110.
However, there was no fraud in this situation. A fortune
cookie manufacturer in Queens, NY had issued fortune cookies
recommending the correct combination: 22, 28, 32, 33, and 39.
(The last number recommended by the cookies was 40, rather
than the winning number of 42, which is why these second-prize
winners did not win first prize.)
Powerball officials repeatedly heard that the second prize
winners had gotten the combination from a fortune cookie.
That means that fortune cookies actually have led to lottery
wins in one situation. Nonetheless, we don't recommend
lotteries, nor do we recommend fortune cookies to improve your
odds of winning. ;-)
Time to close -- we're off to enjoy a walk. Wishing all our US
subscribers a very Happy Thanksgiving. See you next week.
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Home Business Secrets - Here's a Funny Way To Make a Living
If you're serious about making money in a respectable, honest,
in-demand home-based business that's easy to run with almost
zero overhead then listen to this: There's big money in funny.
It's a fact. There are thousands of people in your area who
will happily pay you big bucks to make them laugh. And anyone
can do it. You don't have to be a comedian to be successful.
The income from this little-known home-based business can be
huge. You can start in an instant and work when you feel like
it. But the best part is, there's practically zero overhead,
so almost every dime you make is pure profit. Get the full
story now at:
http://scambusters.org/a/humor.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Become the Person Everyone Admires in 31 Days or Less
Successful people are confident -- in themselves, their
abilities, their value to others.
In fact, self-confidence is a large part of their success.
They know they can get just about anything they want just by
believing in themselves. And that confidence has a powerful
influence on the people they meet.
You, too, can develop the kind of confidence that commands
respect, makes people listen and demands admiration. And you
can do it in 31 days or less -- even if you're afraid to say
"hello" to your dog. Discover how to unlock your secret to
supreme self-confidence at:
http://scambusters.org/a/selfconfidence.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Looking for the Best Deals on Credit Cards?
If you're looking for a website with excellent credit card
offers (and you want to avoid scams), check this out...
This useful site is also very easy to navigate -- just click
on the type of credit card you're looking for (low interest,
excellent balance transfer rates, airline miles, student,
business, debit, etc.) on the nav bar -- and you'll find some
exceptional deals (US only).
You can also sign up for the excellent free credit card
newsletter. Visit:
http://www.verybestcreditcards.org
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
=====
About Internet ScamBusters - Administrivia
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
To subscribe, visit: http://www.scambusters.org/
Sabu
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
http://www.scambusters.org
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Issue #206 November 22, 2006
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
As we head into the Thanksgiving weekend here in the US, we
thought we'd keep this issue a bit lighter and focus on
whether or not these three popular stories are urban legends
or actually true:
- Does eating turkey make you sleepy?
- Was aspartame (the artificial sweetener) originally created
to be an ant poison?
- Did numbers recommended by a fortune cookie really lead to a
lottery win?
First, though, we recommend you check out the most popular
articles from our other sites during the past week (we're
going to start including some holiday articles during the
holiday season):
Experiment Reveals Some Surprising Truths about Identity Theft
http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/identity...t_too_easy.html
Shopping Secrets of Savvy Consumers
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/shopping_..._consumers.html
The Importance of a Free Credit Report
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/the_impor...dit_report.html
Holiday Articles:
Top-Secret Turkey Cooking Tips For Thanksgiving
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/topsecret...anksgiving.html
The History of Santa Claus's Wife
http://www.christmaslore.com/the_history_o...lauss_wife.html
Chocolate Lovers Can Try This Tasty Christmas Craft
http://www.aboutchristmascrafts.com/chocol...tmas_craft.html
On to today's urban legends...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Does eating turkey make you sleepy?
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
A popular urban legend asserts that eating makes you unusually
drowsy. Since Thanksgiving is coming up, subscribers asked us
if this was true or merely another urban legend. In other
words, is there actually something in turkey that causes
sleepiness?
Although the answer is clear, it is not as simple as you might
think.
Turkey does contains tryptophan, which is an amino acid that
is a natural sedative. However, in order to produce this
effect, there must be no protein present and tryptophan must
be taken on an empty stomach. Since turkey obviously has
protein, this is an urban legend.
Further, the amount of tryptophan you consume (even during a
huge Thanksgiving feast) is too small to make a significant
difference. Plus, beef and soybeans contain more tryptophan
than turkey.
So, why do people feel so tired after Thanksgiving dinner?
There are quite a few potential causes, including overeating
(especially lots of carbohydrates) and drinking alcohol.
You can find more urban legends related to Thanksgiving here:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/thanksgivinglore/
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Was aspartame originally created to be an ant poison?
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Another popular story, unrelated to Thanksgiving, is that
aspartame (marketed as NutraSweet ®) was originally created
to be an ant poison, but was turned into a sweetener when it
was recognized that a lot more money could be made if it was
sold as an artificial sweetener.
Is this true? No, it's false.
Aspartame was developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s by
G.D. Searle expressly as an artificial sweetener. Both
saccharin and cyclamates already existed, but many consumers
found that saccharin had a bitter aftertaste and cyclamates
had been banned because of a potential link with bladder
cancer.
The connection between aspartame and ant poison actually comes
>from a spoof article called "FDA Certifies Aspartame as Ant
Poison," which you can find here:
http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s5i11213
The article ends by saying: "The story above is a satire or
parody. It is entirely fictitious."
Finally, there is no evidence whatsoever that aspartame kills
ants.
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Did numbers recommended by a fortune cookie really lead to a
lottery win?
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
We've all heard folklore about how fortune cookies have led to
people winning lotteries and other fortunes, but has this
actually ever happened?
The answer might surprise you: Yes.
Here's what happened: According to Snopes, this occurred
during the March 30, 2005, Powerball drawing.
Although there was only one winner of the $13.8 million
jackpot, there were 110 people who claimed the second prize
for matching the first five of the six numbers drawn. This
second prize was either $100,000 or $500,000, depending on if
the entrant paid the extra dollar for multiple wins.
Powerball officials suspected fraud, since there are typically
only four or five second prize winners, not 110.
However, there was no fraud in this situation. A fortune
cookie manufacturer in Queens, NY had issued fortune cookies
recommending the correct combination: 22, 28, 32, 33, and 39.
(The last number recommended by the cookies was 40, rather
than the winning number of 42, which is why these second-prize
winners did not win first prize.)
Powerball officials repeatedly heard that the second prize
winners had gotten the combination from a fortune cookie.
That means that fortune cookies actually have led to lottery
wins in one situation. Nonetheless, we don't recommend
lotteries, nor do we recommend fortune cookies to improve your
odds of winning. ;-)
Time to close -- we're off to enjoy a walk. Wishing all our US
subscribers a very Happy Thanksgiving. See you next week.
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Home Business Secrets - Here's a Funny Way To Make a Living
If you're serious about making money in a respectable, honest,
in-demand home-based business that's easy to run with almost
zero overhead then listen to this: There's big money in funny.
It's a fact. There are thousands of people in your area who
will happily pay you big bucks to make them laugh. And anyone
can do it. You don't have to be a comedian to be successful.
The income from this little-known home-based business can be
huge. You can start in an instant and work when you feel like
it. But the best part is, there's practically zero overhead,
so almost every dime you make is pure profit. Get the full
story now at:
http://scambusters.org/a/humor.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Become the Person Everyone Admires in 31 Days or Less
Successful people are confident -- in themselves, their
abilities, their value to others.
In fact, self-confidence is a large part of their success.
They know they can get just about anything they want just by
believing in themselves. And that confidence has a powerful
influence on the people they meet.
You, too, can develop the kind of confidence that commands
respect, makes people listen and demands admiration. And you
can do it in 31 days or less -- even if you're afraid to say
"hello" to your dog. Discover how to unlock your secret to
supreme self-confidence at:
http://scambusters.org/a/selfconfidence.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Looking for the Best Deals on Credit Cards?
If you're looking for a website with excellent credit card
offers (and you want to avoid scams), check this out...
This useful site is also very easy to navigate -- just click
on the type of credit card you're looking for (low interest,
excellent balance transfer rates, airline miles, student,
business, debit, etc.) on the nav bar -- and you'll find some
exceptional deals (US only).
You can also sign up for the excellent free credit card
newsletter. Visit:
http://www.verybestcreditcards.org
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
=====
About Internet ScamBusters - Administrivia
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
To subscribe, visit: http://www.scambusters.org/
Sabu
Today we've got a Special Issue for you on how to avoid the
newest car dealer scams (they are really sneaky!). Plus, we
have four tips to help you keep you and your auto safe during
the holiday season, when auto thefts are especially high.
As always, we first recommend you check out the most popular
articles from our other sites during the past week:
Using Credit Cards This Holiday Season
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/using_cre...day_season.html
Identity Theft and Airports
http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/identity...d_airports.html
Dry Cleaning Know-How
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/dry_cleaning_knowhow.html
Holiday Articles:
Unveiling the Hottest Christmas Toys for 2006
http://www.wowchristmasgifts.com/hottestch...oysfor2006.html
Some Christmas Games to Play This Holiday Season
http://www.christmasrants.com/some_christm...day_season.html
The History of Christmas Pudding
http://www.christmaslore.com/the_history_o...as_pudding.html
Let's get going with today's Special Issue...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
How to avoid the two newest car dealer scams
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
It never ceases to amaze us how cunning some car dealers are
-- they seem to constantly think of new ways to take advantage
of car buyers. Here are two of the most recent car dealer
ploys that we haven't yet written about:
1. Spot Delivery: You've chosen the car you want, filled out
all the paperwork (including the car loan application with the
car dealer's finance department). The car dealer tells you
that although your loan hasn't been "officially" approved yet,
you can drive the car home anyway.
Don't.
Here's what can happen if you do: A few days later, you'll get
a call from the car dealership saying your loan wasn't
approved at the interest rate you discussed. However, you
were approved at a higher rate.
This means that you'll likely pay thousands of dollars more
than you expected.
Further, if you try to call off the deal, the car dealer will
either tell you that they already sold your trade-in so you
have no options, or they simply will say they'll sue you if
you don't agree to the new terms.
The worst part is that you probably are stuck, because the
loan agreement included a "writ of rescission," which means
that you agreed to pay a higher interest rate if you did not
qualify for the loan at the original, agreed-upon rate.
Be careful. And don't take your new car home from the car
dealer until all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed.
2. Mandatory Arbitration or Conflict Resolution: This ploy
sounds reasonable at first, but be very cautious...
After everything else has been agreed to, the sales person
asks you to sign a "Dispute Resolution" or "Conflict
Resolution" agreement. The sales person tells you it just says
that if a problem occurs, you agree to settle through
arbitration and not take the car dealer to court.
Although arbitration can certainly be a reasonable option, the
fine print is where the problems lie.
The agreement may well say that the car dealer chooses the
arbiter... and/or that you pay the entire arbitration fee
(regardless of who wins)... and/or that you cannot appeal the
decision but the car dealer can. It also often includes a
clause that you can't participate in any class-action lawsuits
against the dealership -- no matter what they do!
So, make sure you read any arbitration agreements before you
sign them to make sure they are fair, and show them to your
attorney.
In fact, we recommend that you ask the car dealer whether or
not they require an arbitration agreement BEFORE you look at
any cars. If they do require a dispute resolution agreement,
check out the fine print first, and if it has the provisions
we've just described, shop elsewhere.
Many sleazy car dealerships require these agreements because
they'd get sued frequently without them.
Many people buy cars at this time of year. For more advice on
how not to get taken by car dealers, check out some of our
other articles:
Car Sales: Are They a Scam?
http://www.scambusters.org/carsales.html
How to Sell a Car: Avoid the Consignment Scam
http://www.scambusters.org/cars/howtosellacar.html
Learn how to avoid one of the biggest auto financing scams --
'packed payments'
http://www.scambusters.org/cars/auto-financing.html
What is the Best Day to Purchase a Car?
http://www.scambusters.org/cars/purchase-a-car.html
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Four tips to keep you and your car safe
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
During the holiday season people are busier than ever, and so
are car thieves. Experts say auto theft and accident scams
rise during the holiday season. So, here are some tips that
will help keep you and your car safe:
1. This may seem obvious, but so many people seem to forget to
do this, especially during the holidays: Don't leave valuable
items, gifts, or other items that thieves might be interested
in visible by people walking by your car. This is, of course,
especially true in shopping mall parking lots. Store your
valuables (and everything else, if possible) in the trunk of
your car -- locked.
2. Never, ever leave your keys in your car (either with the
motor on or off) while you quickly run into a store or to do
some errand. And be sure to lock your car and close the
windows, even for a few minutes.
Car thieves are very fast -- it only takes a moment for them
to steal your car. Don't think auto theft can't happen to
you; it can.
3. Be very aware of parking lots scams: Just because the
perfume parking lot hoax is an urban legend doesn't mean there
aren't many real parking lot scams. You can read about the
perfume hoax here:
http://www.scambusters.org/urban-legends/perfume-hoax.html
Here are two examples of real parking lot scams that are very
common, especially at this time of year:
- The "parking lot peddler" or "white van" scams involve
people who drive white vans parked in neighborhood malls
displaying signs advertising very inexpensive, but supposedly
high quality equipment, jewelry, and even artwork and
furniture.
The sales people promise that all products come with a
"satisfaction guarantee." Unfortunately, they'll be long gone
by the time you realize the merchandise is either defective,
counterfeit or very low quality.
- Another very different parking lot scam involves a driver
that supposedly helps you back out of a parking space by
waving you out, and then either runs into your car himself or
works with a partner who collides with you. It's an easy way
for them to falsify an insurance claim with you at fault.
4. Be especially careful during bad winter weather: take
enough time so you don't have to rush and can get where you're
going safely. If you do need a tow, make sure that the tow
truck company is actually the one your car insurer or auto
club sent, not a scam artist who just drove by and wants to
rip you off.
That's all for today -- we'll see you next week.
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
LAST CHANCE: 50% Discount Disappears after Thursday!
"Finally...You Can Pay Off ALL Your Debts, Including Your
Mortgage, In Less Than 10 Years...Even If You Just Got Your
Mortgage Yesterday...AND the More Debts You Have the Better!"
...Without having to 'pinch pennies', get a second job or cut
back on your spending in any way -- and still become debt-free!
Did you know that trying to pay off your high interest rate
debts first and/or paying extra on more than one debt can be
the SLOWEST way to get out of debt?
"How To Own Your Paycheck Again!" reveals everything you need
to know to pay off those debts in the shortest possible time.
And the really amazing part is... if you can pay all your
bills on time now, the more debts you have the better!
I know it sounds crazy but the author of this program has been
teaching this method for almost 10 years and he's got the
feedback from students to back it up. We met him a couple of
weeks ago at a conference, and he clearly knows his stuff.
He's got an extra special deal for ScamBusters subscribers in
honor of his birthday in November.
Discover the full story now at:
http://scambusters.org/a/leoquinn.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
"Exclusive Car Buying Guide Exposes Insider Secrets and Turns
Auto Sales Industry Upside Down... Saving You Up To $5,000 On
Your New Or Used Car!"
How you can pay less for your new or used car and avoid the
typical car buying blunders almost everyone makes:
ex-dealership manager tells all...
Peter Humleker, the ex-general manager of a popular new car
dealership, exposes the best-kept "insider secrets" on how to
outsmart any car salesman and stop him from shamelessly
siphoning money out of your pockets...
In fact, he can help you become a shrewd car-buying expert in
just a couple of hours!
Here's what two readers have to say about Peter's book:
"Greetings, Peter. Well, I went over your ebook and bought
a Nissan Altima 3.5 SL for $250 under invoice. And the
dealer's invoice was less than the other figures I saw on
the Internet... Please accept my heartfelt thanks for your
publication. It saved me thousands of my after tax dollars."
-- Walter G. Aiello, Ph.D., Manager, Network and
Information Services, Duke University Medical Center
...
"I was a former Finance Manager in the car business and
got your book mostly out of curiosity. I was pretty
surprised when I read your section on the Finance
Department! You certainly didn't hold anything back.
"You exposed every scam in existence plus some I never
even knew about. Everyone who reads your book is going
to thank you for saving them a lot of money.
-- Jerry Goettig, Former Finance Manager, Southern California
This is a great time to buy a car or truck -- but only if you
know the truth about how NOT to get taken and how to get a
great deal. Visit now for details:
http://scambusters.org/a/cartips.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
"10 Simple Steps To Succeed As An Affiliate For Under $100"
If you're looking for a PROVEN way to earn money with an
online business you can do from home -- instead of wasting
your time with pie-in-the-sky, disappointing opportunities
that are just hype -- this message is for you.
There IS a real way to make money online as an affiliate. It's
fast, easy, and you do NOT need a lot of money to get started.
This short report will show you everything you need to know to
get started now. Visit now for details:
http://scambusters.org/a/affiliatesuccessplan.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
=====
About Internet ScamBusters - Administrivia
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
To subscribe, visit: http://www.scambusters.org/
Sabu
newest car dealer scams (they are really sneaky!). Plus, we
have four tips to help you keep you and your auto safe during
the holiday season, when auto thefts are especially high.
As always, we first recommend you check out the most popular
articles from our other sites during the past week:
Using Credit Cards This Holiday Season
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/using_cre...day_season.html
Identity Theft and Airports
http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/identity...d_airports.html
Dry Cleaning Know-How
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/dry_cleaning_knowhow.html
Holiday Articles:
Unveiling the Hottest Christmas Toys for 2006
http://www.wowchristmasgifts.com/hottestch...oysfor2006.html
Some Christmas Games to Play This Holiday Season
http://www.christmasrants.com/some_christm...day_season.html
The History of Christmas Pudding
http://www.christmaslore.com/the_history_o...as_pudding.html
Let's get going with today's Special Issue...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
How to avoid the two newest car dealer scams
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
It never ceases to amaze us how cunning some car dealers are
-- they seem to constantly think of new ways to take advantage
of car buyers. Here are two of the most recent car dealer
ploys that we haven't yet written about:
1. Spot Delivery: You've chosen the car you want, filled out
all the paperwork (including the car loan application with the
car dealer's finance department). The car dealer tells you
that although your loan hasn't been "officially" approved yet,
you can drive the car home anyway.
Don't.
Here's what can happen if you do: A few days later, you'll get
a call from the car dealership saying your loan wasn't
approved at the interest rate you discussed. However, you
were approved at a higher rate.
This means that you'll likely pay thousands of dollars more
than you expected.
Further, if you try to call off the deal, the car dealer will
either tell you that they already sold your trade-in so you
have no options, or they simply will say they'll sue you if
you don't agree to the new terms.
The worst part is that you probably are stuck, because the
loan agreement included a "writ of rescission," which means
that you agreed to pay a higher interest rate if you did not
qualify for the loan at the original, agreed-upon rate.
Be careful. And don't take your new car home from the car
dealer until all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed.
2. Mandatory Arbitration or Conflict Resolution: This ploy
sounds reasonable at first, but be very cautious...
After everything else has been agreed to, the sales person
asks you to sign a "Dispute Resolution" or "Conflict
Resolution" agreement. The sales person tells you it just says
that if a problem occurs, you agree to settle through
arbitration and not take the car dealer to court.
Although arbitration can certainly be a reasonable option, the
fine print is where the problems lie.
The agreement may well say that the car dealer chooses the
arbiter... and/or that you pay the entire arbitration fee
(regardless of who wins)... and/or that you cannot appeal the
decision but the car dealer can. It also often includes a
clause that you can't participate in any class-action lawsuits
against the dealership -- no matter what they do!
So, make sure you read any arbitration agreements before you
sign them to make sure they are fair, and show them to your
attorney.
In fact, we recommend that you ask the car dealer whether or
not they require an arbitration agreement BEFORE you look at
any cars. If they do require a dispute resolution agreement,
check out the fine print first, and if it has the provisions
we've just described, shop elsewhere.
Many sleazy car dealerships require these agreements because
they'd get sued frequently without them.
Many people buy cars at this time of year. For more advice on
how not to get taken by car dealers, check out some of our
other articles:
Car Sales: Are They a Scam?
http://www.scambusters.org/carsales.html
How to Sell a Car: Avoid the Consignment Scam
http://www.scambusters.org/cars/howtosellacar.html
Learn how to avoid one of the biggest auto financing scams --
'packed payments'
http://www.scambusters.org/cars/auto-financing.html
What is the Best Day to Purchase a Car?
http://www.scambusters.org/cars/purchase-a-car.html
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Four tips to keep you and your car safe
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
During the holiday season people are busier than ever, and so
are car thieves. Experts say auto theft and accident scams
rise during the holiday season. So, here are some tips that
will help keep you and your car safe:
1. This may seem obvious, but so many people seem to forget to
do this, especially during the holidays: Don't leave valuable
items, gifts, or other items that thieves might be interested
in visible by people walking by your car. This is, of course,
especially true in shopping mall parking lots. Store your
valuables (and everything else, if possible) in the trunk of
your car -- locked.
2. Never, ever leave your keys in your car (either with the
motor on or off) while you quickly run into a store or to do
some errand. And be sure to lock your car and close the
windows, even for a few minutes.
Car thieves are very fast -- it only takes a moment for them
to steal your car. Don't think auto theft can't happen to
you; it can.
3. Be very aware of parking lots scams: Just because the
perfume parking lot hoax is an urban legend doesn't mean there
aren't many real parking lot scams. You can read about the
perfume hoax here:
http://www.scambusters.org/urban-legends/perfume-hoax.html
Here are two examples of real parking lot scams that are very
common, especially at this time of year:
- The "parking lot peddler" or "white van" scams involve
people who drive white vans parked in neighborhood malls
displaying signs advertising very inexpensive, but supposedly
high quality equipment, jewelry, and even artwork and
furniture.
The sales people promise that all products come with a
"satisfaction guarantee." Unfortunately, they'll be long gone
by the time you realize the merchandise is either defective,
counterfeit or very low quality.
- Another very different parking lot scam involves a driver
that supposedly helps you back out of a parking space by
waving you out, and then either runs into your car himself or
works with a partner who collides with you. It's an easy way
for them to falsify an insurance claim with you at fault.
4. Be especially careful during bad winter weather: take
enough time so you don't have to rush and can get where you're
going safely. If you do need a tow, make sure that the tow
truck company is actually the one your car insurer or auto
club sent, not a scam artist who just drove by and wants to
rip you off.
That's all for today -- we'll see you next week.
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
LAST CHANCE: 50% Discount Disappears after Thursday!
"Finally...You Can Pay Off ALL Your Debts, Including Your
Mortgage, In Less Than 10 Years...Even If You Just Got Your
Mortgage Yesterday...AND the More Debts You Have the Better!"
...Without having to 'pinch pennies', get a second job or cut
back on your spending in any way -- and still become debt-free!
Did you know that trying to pay off your high interest rate
debts first and/or paying extra on more than one debt can be
the SLOWEST way to get out of debt?
"How To Own Your Paycheck Again!" reveals everything you need
to know to pay off those debts in the shortest possible time.
And the really amazing part is... if you can pay all your
bills on time now, the more debts you have the better!
I know it sounds crazy but the author of this program has been
teaching this method for almost 10 years and he's got the
feedback from students to back it up. We met him a couple of
weeks ago at a conference, and he clearly knows his stuff.
He's got an extra special deal for ScamBusters subscribers in
honor of his birthday in November.
Discover the full story now at:
http://scambusters.org/a/leoquinn.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
"Exclusive Car Buying Guide Exposes Insider Secrets and Turns
Auto Sales Industry Upside Down... Saving You Up To $5,000 On
Your New Or Used Car!"
How you can pay less for your new or used car and avoid the
typical car buying blunders almost everyone makes:
ex-dealership manager tells all...
Peter Humleker, the ex-general manager of a popular new car
dealership, exposes the best-kept "insider secrets" on how to
outsmart any car salesman and stop him from shamelessly
siphoning money out of your pockets...
In fact, he can help you become a shrewd car-buying expert in
just a couple of hours!
Here's what two readers have to say about Peter's book:
"Greetings, Peter. Well, I went over your ebook and bought
a Nissan Altima 3.5 SL for $250 under invoice. And the
dealer's invoice was less than the other figures I saw on
the Internet... Please accept my heartfelt thanks for your
publication. It saved me thousands of my after tax dollars."
-- Walter G. Aiello, Ph.D., Manager, Network and
Information Services, Duke University Medical Center
...
"I was a former Finance Manager in the car business and
got your book mostly out of curiosity. I was pretty
surprised when I read your section on the Finance
Department! You certainly didn't hold anything back.
"You exposed every scam in existence plus some I never
even knew about. Everyone who reads your book is going
to thank you for saving them a lot of money.
-- Jerry Goettig, Former Finance Manager, Southern California
This is a great time to buy a car or truck -- but only if you
know the truth about how NOT to get taken and how to get a
great deal. Visit now for details:
http://scambusters.org/a/cartips.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
"10 Simple Steps To Succeed As An Affiliate For Under $100"
If you're looking for a PROVEN way to earn money with an
online business you can do from home -- instead of wasting
your time with pie-in-the-sky, disappointing opportunities
that are just hype -- this message is for you.
There IS a real way to make money online as an affiliate. It's
fast, easy, and you do NOT need a lot of money to get started.
This short report will show you everything you need to know to
get started now. Visit now for details:
http://scambusters.org/a/affiliatesuccessplan.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
=====
About Internet ScamBusters - Administrivia
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
To subscribe, visit: http://www.scambusters.org/
Sabu
Internet ScamBusters ™
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
http://www.scambusters.org
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Issue #208 December 6, 2006
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
- Is the email I just received from the Social Security
Administration a scam?
- Is it my imagination or am I really getting a lot more
spaham (misspelled intentionally) recently?
- Am I being too paranoid?
We especially recommend you check out the first question -- it
includes info about a new Social Security Administration scam
alert.
In addition, we thought you might enjoy a news article from
last week that quotes Audri, called "Victims Still Falling
Prey to Nigerian E-Mail Scam."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,232500,00.html
However, before we begin today's Q&A, we first encourage you
to take a look at this week's most popular articles from our
other sites:
Easy Christmas Decorating Ideas
http://www.christmasrants.com/easy_christm...ting_ideas.html
Cash Back Credit Cards Great Choice for Consumers
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/cash_back..._consumers.html
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Report Identifies
Safest Cars
http://www.consumertipsreports.org/insuran...tifies_saf.html
Creative Ideas for Presenting Christmas Gifts
http://www.aboutchristmascrafts.com/ideas_...tmas_gifts.html
Popular Christmas Gifts This Holiday Season
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/buy_popul...day_season.html
Making Sure Your Child Doesn't Become a Victim of Identity
Theft
http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/identity...l_students.html
Let's get started...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Internet ScamBusters Q&A
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Question: I'm a senior and got an email yesterday from the
Social Security Administration that says if I don't respond by
tomorrow, I'll stop receiving Social Security! Is this a scam??
Answer: Yes, it's a scam. In November, the Social Security
Administration issued a security alert about a new phishing
scam aimed at seniors.
The subject line of this supposed Social Security
Administration email is: Cost-of-Living for 2007 update.
The email claims its purpose is to inform Social Security
recipients about the 3.3% Social Security benefit increase for
2007. It also contains the following statement:
"NOTE: We now need you to update your personal information. If
this is not completed by [a date close to today's date], we
will be forced to suspend your account indefinitely."
The recipient is then directed to a bogus phishing website
that is designed to look like the Social Security
Administration's website.
At the phishing website, victims are asked to create a
password and to confirm their identity by providing their
Social Security number, credit card information and bank
account information.
Action: Delete the email. Do NOT visit the website.
Recognize that the Social Security Administration does not
send out emails that require you to give out your personal
information, nor do they use scare tactics and short deadlines
via email to pressure you to update your account.
For more information, you can see the Social Security
Administration News Release about this scam alert.
http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/pr/colaPhishingScam-pr.htm
To learn more about phishing scams, visit:
http://www.scambusters.org/phishing.html
~~~
Question: It seems as if I'm getting a whole lot more spaham
in the past month or so. Is this my imagination, or is the
spaham problem getting worse?
Answer: Unfortunately, it's not your imagination. In
November, there was a dramatic increase in the amount of
spaham coming out of Russia.
In fact, Russian spahammers are now using 70,000 infected
machines capable of pumping out a billion messages a day!
Many of these emails are "pump and dump" scams hawking penny
stocks.
We've personally seen an enormous amount of additional spaham
in the past month -- and our spaham filters are working double
duty just to keep up. It's VERY frustrating. For more info,
visit:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2060235,00.asp
~~~
Question: I sell handcrafted merchandise online. i recently
received an order for $1800 worth of drums. The customer said
he had a customer who owed him $5000. A $5000 check was going
to be sent to me so I could take out the $1800 for the drums
and I was to send the remaining $3200 on to a shipper who
would pick up the drums when I was finished making them. I
refused, he tried to convince me, I ended up declining the
order. Am I being too paranoid?
Answer: You are NOT being too paranoid at all. This is a
classic scam called the "overpayment" scam. You can read more
about it here:
http://www.scambusters.org/overpayment.html
Time to wrap up for today -- have a great week!
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Are You Sabotaging Your Own Success?
Most people do. No matter how close they come, something
always seems to hold them back. Truly successful people know
what it is, and how to defeat it without struggle. Do you?
The good news is there is a simple approach almost anyone can
use to make their life a smashing success.
"Absolute magic! 'How to Control Your Destiny Through Your
Attitude' provides the tools to help you create the life
you want for yourself. It's almost hard to believe that
it's so simple - yet it works like a charm!"
-- Michele Paccione, DanceGlam .com, Harrington Park, NJ
"If you could read only one book to help you transform your
life into a smashing success -- this should be it!"
-- Bill Heinrich, Founder and CEO, Symmetry Springs
If you'd like a real way to improve any area of your life in
the next 30 days and achieve what has seemed impossible to you
until now -- visit:
http://scambusters.org/a/attitude.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
101 Mouthwatering Cholesterol Lowering Recipes
Anyone trying to lower their cholesterol knows the first thing
any doctor will tell you is "watch what you eat." But low and
no-cholesterol foods won't do much to force your cholesterol
lower.
That's why you need to eat cholesterol-lowering foods as well.
They trigger your body's "cholesterol furnace," driving your
cholesterol level down naturally.
Dr. Chris Hart and Amy Carey have just published a collection
of 101 cholesterol lowering recipes that combine
low-cholesterol and cholesterol-lowering foods to help you
drop your cholesterol level quickly, easily and naturally.
Best of all they taste great, too! And, you'll find special
bonuses to help you make any holiday meal healthier... without
sacrificing the taste.
Discover more about this unique collection of cholesterol
lowering recipes here:
http://scambusters.org/a/cholesterolrecipes.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Small Business Owners: Exactly What You Need to Know to
Succeed in Any Economy
Worried about high gas prices and how deeply they'll affect
your profits? Got a plan in place in case the economy heads
south? Want a foolproof way to boost sales without boosting
costs, no matter what the economy is like?
Discover how a handful of savvy small business owners are
banking big profits by doing what you're not -- even when the
economy is down. Get the full story at:
http://scambusters.org/a/rich.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
=====
About Internet ScamBusters - Administrivia
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
To subscribe, visit: http://www.scambusters.org/
please use
our Feedback Form located at:
http://www.scambusters.org/feedback.html
ScamBusters is a public service from Jim and Audri Lanford.
Since ScamBusters is a public service and we receive thousands
of emails, we cannot answer individual emails.
For more about our privacy policy, see
http://www.scambusters.org/privacy.html
The legal info is located at
http://www.scambusters.org/legal.html and applies to
this newsletter.
Lanford Inc.
197 New Market Center, #115
Boone, NC 28607
Sabu
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
http://www.scambusters.org
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Issue #208 December 6, 2006
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
- Is the email I just received from the Social Security
Administration a scam?
- Is it my imagination or am I really getting a lot more
spaham (misspelled intentionally) recently?
- Am I being too paranoid?
We especially recommend you check out the first question -- it
includes info about a new Social Security Administration scam
alert.
In addition, we thought you might enjoy a news article from
last week that quotes Audri, called "Victims Still Falling
Prey to Nigerian E-Mail Scam."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,232500,00.html
However, before we begin today's Q&A, we first encourage you
to take a look at this week's most popular articles from our
other sites:
Easy Christmas Decorating Ideas
http://www.christmasrants.com/easy_christm...ting_ideas.html
Cash Back Credit Cards Great Choice for Consumers
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/cash_back..._consumers.html
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Report Identifies
Safest Cars
http://www.consumertipsreports.org/insuran...tifies_saf.html
Creative Ideas for Presenting Christmas Gifts
http://www.aboutchristmascrafts.com/ideas_...tmas_gifts.html
Popular Christmas Gifts This Holiday Season
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/buy_popul...day_season.html
Making Sure Your Child Doesn't Become a Victim of Identity
Theft
http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/identity...l_students.html
Let's get started...
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Internet ScamBusters Q&A
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Question: I'm a senior and got an email yesterday from the
Social Security Administration that says if I don't respond by
tomorrow, I'll stop receiving Social Security! Is this a scam??
Answer: Yes, it's a scam. In November, the Social Security
Administration issued a security alert about a new phishing
scam aimed at seniors.
The subject line of this supposed Social Security
Administration email is: Cost-of-Living for 2007 update.
The email claims its purpose is to inform Social Security
recipients about the 3.3% Social Security benefit increase for
2007. It also contains the following statement:
"NOTE: We now need you to update your personal information. If
this is not completed by [a date close to today's date], we
will be forced to suspend your account indefinitely."
The recipient is then directed to a bogus phishing website
that is designed to look like the Social Security
Administration's website.
At the phishing website, victims are asked to create a
password and to confirm their identity by providing their
Social Security number, credit card information and bank
account information.
Action: Delete the email. Do NOT visit the website.
Recognize that the Social Security Administration does not
send out emails that require you to give out your personal
information, nor do they use scare tactics and short deadlines
via email to pressure you to update your account.
For more information, you can see the Social Security
Administration News Release about this scam alert.
http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/pr/colaPhishingScam-pr.htm
To learn more about phishing scams, visit:
http://www.scambusters.org/phishing.html
~~~
Question: It seems as if I'm getting a whole lot more spaham
in the past month or so. Is this my imagination, or is the
spaham problem getting worse?
Answer: Unfortunately, it's not your imagination. In
November, there was a dramatic increase in the amount of
spaham coming out of Russia.
In fact, Russian spahammers are now using 70,000 infected
machines capable of pumping out a billion messages a day!
Many of these emails are "pump and dump" scams hawking penny
stocks.
We've personally seen an enormous amount of additional spaham
in the past month -- and our spaham filters are working double
duty just to keep up. It's VERY frustrating. For more info,
visit:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2060235,00.asp
~~~
Question: I sell handcrafted merchandise online. i recently
received an order for $1800 worth of drums. The customer said
he had a customer who owed him $5000. A $5000 check was going
to be sent to me so I could take out the $1800 for the drums
and I was to send the remaining $3200 on to a shipper who
would pick up the drums when I was finished making them. I
refused, he tried to convince me, I ended up declining the
order. Am I being too paranoid?
Answer: You are NOT being too paranoid at all. This is a
classic scam called the "overpayment" scam. You can read more
about it here:
http://www.scambusters.org/overpayment.html
Time to wrap up for today -- have a great week!
- Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep ScamBusters Free -
- - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - -
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Are You Sabotaging Your Own Success?
Most people do. No matter how close they come, something
always seems to hold them back. Truly successful people know
what it is, and how to defeat it without struggle. Do you?
The good news is there is a simple approach almost anyone can
use to make their life a smashing success.
"Absolute magic! 'How to Control Your Destiny Through Your
Attitude' provides the tools to help you create the life
you want for yourself. It's almost hard to believe that
it's so simple - yet it works like a charm!"
-- Michele Paccione, DanceGlam .com, Harrington Park, NJ
"If you could read only one book to help you transform your
life into a smashing success -- this should be it!"
-- Bill Heinrich, Founder and CEO, Symmetry Springs
If you'd like a real way to improve any area of your life in
the next 30 days and achieve what has seemed impossible to you
until now -- visit:
http://scambusters.org/a/attitude.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
101 Mouthwatering Cholesterol Lowering Recipes
Anyone trying to lower their cholesterol knows the first thing
any doctor will tell you is "watch what you eat." But low and
no-cholesterol foods won't do much to force your cholesterol
lower.
That's why you need to eat cholesterol-lowering foods as well.
They trigger your body's "cholesterol furnace," driving your
cholesterol level down naturally.
Dr. Chris Hart and Amy Carey have just published a collection
of 101 cholesterol lowering recipes that combine
low-cholesterol and cholesterol-lowering foods to help you
drop your cholesterol level quickly, easily and naturally.
Best of all they taste great, too! And, you'll find special
bonuses to help you make any holiday meal healthier... without
sacrificing the taste.
Discover more about this unique collection of cholesterol
lowering recipes here:
http://scambusters.org/a/cholesterolrecipes.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
Small Business Owners: Exactly What You Need to Know to
Succeed in Any Economy
Worried about high gas prices and how deeply they'll affect
your profits? Got a plan in place in case the economy heads
south? Want a foolproof way to boost sales without boosting
costs, no matter what the economy is like?
Discover how a handful of savvy small business owners are
banking big profits by doing what you're not -- even when the
economy is down. Get the full story at:
http://scambusters.org/a/rich.html
----------==========**********O**********==========----------
=====
About Internet ScamBusters - Administrivia
Copyright © Audri and Jim Lanford.
All rights reserved.
To subscribe, visit: http://www.scambusters.org/
please use
our Feedback Form located at:
http://www.scambusters.org/feedback.html
ScamBusters is a public service from Jim and Audri Lanford.
Since ScamBusters is a public service and we receive thousands
of emails, we cannot answer individual emails.
For more about our privacy policy, see
http://www.scambusters.org/privacy.html
The legal info is located at
http://www.scambusters.org/legal.html and applies to
this newsletter.
Lanford Inc.
197 New Market Center, #115
Boone, NC 28607
Sabu
Internet ScamBusters ™
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
http://www.scambusters.org
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Issue #209 December 13, 2006
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
Today we have a Special Issue for you called "New Gift Card
Scams: 8 Tips to Protect Yourself."
If you watch the news, you've probably already heard a lot
about the gift card scams that have been going around this
holiday season.
We'll certainly tell you all about these scams. However, the
much more common gift card scams are NOT what you've been
hearing about. So, we'll focus on the biggest gift card scams
this holiday season -- and how to protect yourself.
First, though, we recommend you check out the most popular
articles from our other sites during the past week:
Great Gift Ideas for Coffee and Tea Drinkers
http://www.wowgiftideas.com/great_gift_ide...a_drinkers.html
Dealing with Credit Card Late Fees
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/dealing_w..._late_fees.html
Multiple Uses for Old Christmas Cards
http://www.aboutchristmascrafts.com/multip...tmas_cards.html
How to Respond to a Dental Emergency
http://www.emergencypreparednesstips.org/h..._emergency.html
How to Buy Gifts for Coworkers
http://www.christmasrants.com/how_to_buy_g..._coworkers.html
Start a Christmas Club for Christmas 2007
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/start_a_c...stmas_2007.html
On to today's Special Issue...
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New Gift Card Scams: 8 Tips to Protect Yourself
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The Gift Card Scam on the News
Let's first talk about the gift card scam that's making news.
It's actually quite clever. Here's an example of the email
going around:
--- Begin Email ---
The crooks have fo
The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud
http://www.scambusters.org
By Audri and Jim Lanford
Issue #209 December 13, 2006
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Today we have a Special Issue for you called "New Gift Card
Scams: 8 Tips to Protect Yourself."
If you watch the news, you've probably already heard a lot
about the gift card scams that have been going around this
holiday season.
We'll certainly tell you all about these scams. However, the
much more common gift card scams are NOT what you've been
hearing about. So, we'll focus on the biggest gift card scams
this holiday season -- and how to protect yourself.
First, though, we recommend you check out the most popular
articles from our other sites during the past week:
Great Gift Ideas for Coffee and Tea Drinkers
http://www.wowgiftideas.com/great_gift_ide...a_drinkers.html
Dealing with Credit Card Late Fees
http://www.creditcardtipsetc.com/dealing_w..._late_fees.html
Multiple Uses for Old Christmas Cards
http://www.aboutchristmascrafts.com/multip...tmas_cards.html
How to Respond to a Dental Emergency
http://www.emergencypreparednesstips.org/h..._emergency.html
How to Buy Gifts for Coworkers
http://www.christmasrants.com/how_to_buy_g..._coworkers.html
Start a Christmas Club for Christmas 2007
http://www.consumersavvytips.org/start_a_c...stmas_2007.html
On to today's Special Issue...
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New Gift Card Scams: 8 Tips to Protect Yourself
<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>
The Gift Card Scam on the News
Let's first talk about the gift card scam that's making news.
It's actually quite clever. Here's an example of the email
going around:
--- Begin Email ---
The crooks have fo