Tag Archives: scam

Separating the Business Opportunities from the Pyramid Schemes

If you have been thinking about whether you might like to get involved with a direct sales business opportunity on a full time or a part time basis, one of the things that may be holding you back is a concern that you might fall victim to a pyramid scheme. While it is true that there are pyramid schemes out there that are posing as direct sales opportunities, there are also plenty of direct sales companies that offer quality products at reasonable prices as well as reasonable compensation to their consultants. Here are a few tips that can help you to distinguish … Continue reading →

Avoiding Home Business Scams Just Got Easier

It has been a while since I have looked at any interesting books that home – based professionals or aspiring home – based professionals might find helpful. Today, I went looking for just that kind of book and I found it. The book, “I Got Scammed So You Don’t Have To : How to Find Legitimate Work at Home and Random Jobs in a Scamming Economy ”, has a very long title. Fortunately, the title of this book by author Bethany Mooradian accurately describes what you will find inside. Ms. Mooradian has a lot of experience working at all kinds of … Continue reading →

Cash for Gold Mailers

You’ve seen the commercials. Smiling people round up their broken jewelry, pop it into an envelope and then a few days later they receive a wad of cash. “I got $500 for my unwanted and broken jewelry!” a woman exclaims. While turning something unwanted (the jewelry) into something needed (the cash) is a great concept, you have to wonder if it is really worth it. People would naturally be wary of sending gold items in the mail, and the commercials tell you that everything is guaranteed. By law they have to pay you, but they also tell you that if … Continue reading →

Travelers’ Checks Scam

My mother swears by travelers’ checks. They are a vital part of her travel itinerary: make airline reservations, pack toothbrush, pick-up travelers’ checks… If you routinely use travelers’ checks –be warned–you could be a target for scam artists. The scam involves a computer and a person who plays on the sympathy of vacationers who are regularly use travelers’ checks. It starts with an email message asking for help cashing travelers’ checks. The person sending the email claims to be stranded in another country and is unable to use his/her travelers’ checks. The email plays on the emotions of travelers who … Continue reading →

Keywords that Flag a Scam

I read a lot of posts asking “Is this a scam?” The answer is most often “yes” before even reading what they are asking about. All scams have a similarity to them. Here are some keywords to avoid when applying for a job or business. “This is not a scam.” If they are not a scam, why do they feel the need to tell us? Can you see a job listing for an accountant. “Wanted, someone with experience in accounting, 5 years experience required. This is not a scam, but a legit job.” They add this to try and brush … Continue reading →

Giving your email out on message boards

As a moderator to a few message boards, I often see people say “email me with more info!” Ohh! This is not a good idea for many, many reasons. 1.)Spammers. Email harvesters spend time combing message boards looking for email addresses to add to their list to either spam or sell. All that means for you is more junk mail. 2.)Solicitors. Now you have invited anyone and everyone to solicit you with their information. These people will email you once hoping you’ll respond. Though some of what you get will be legit, you will get a ton of scams sent … Continue reading →

BEWARE—The Holiday Gift Card Scam

I don’t know where you live, but if you reside anywhere around the Midwest portion of the United States then you may have heard about a new scam involving gift cards. Thousands of victims have flooded area Better Business Bureaus with their tragic stories of being ripped off. Here’s how the scam works: Scammers go to a store where gift cards are hanging on a rack. They then copy numbers and merchant names from these gift cards. They wait a week or so and then call the 800 number that was on the back of the card to find out … Continue reading →

A Warning To Oprah Fans

If you are an Oprah fan and are currently trying to get tickets to see the queen of talk in person, be on guard. According to officials, online thieves are using the lure of tickets to “The Oprah Winfrey Show” to rip off the identities of consumers. The scam was exposed after several Oprah fans notified Winfrey’s Harpo Productions, Inc. that they had been ripped off. According to the state Attorney General, the thieves have been sending unsolicited e-mails asking people to send them personal information, verify financial information or wire money to a third party for tickets to the … Continue reading →

A Warning For People Who Pay Bills Online

Did you know that Americans pay one in four bills online? Paying your bills online is convenient. But consumer advocates say that convenience comes with a risk, especially if you have ditched all of your paper bills for cyber statements. According to the Anti-phishing Working Group, there is a new scam out there preying on people who are familiar with the online bill paying process. The scam works like this: an email similar to statements you receive from a company you owe money to is sent in a format that looks exactly like the bill you’re used to getting. Con … Continue reading →

Travel Alert: Hotel Scam

First it was the mail scam, then the Internet scam, and the phone scam; now it seems that scammers are targeting you while you’re away from home too. According to a report in an Albuquerque newspaper, guests at some hotels in New Mexico and California have reported getting in-room phone calls from a man who claims he is the hotel manager and that the guest’s credit card number needs to be verified. The paper interviewed a hotel guest who said he gave his credit card information over the phone to the alleged “hotel manager,” but got suspicious after he hung … Continue reading →