Here is a FOX News article that was forwarded to me by a member of our
community.  I thought that it was interesting enough to share with everyone.
As we all know, scams are everywhere.

Bill Pollock


"Nine Nasty Online Scams You Need to Be Aware Of" (24 Jun, 2009)


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,528859,00.html


Internet scams have been around for years, but the Federal Trade
Commission's recent crackdown on robocallers pushing car warrantees has put
a spotlight on the thousands of tactics used by scammers to bilk Americans
out of millions.

So why are they so successful?

One of the keys to scammers' success is a constant flow of unsuspecting
victims. Another, experts say, is that scammers are targeting specific
demographics, whether it's by age, race or sex.

"The problem now is that so much information is available on the Internet,"
FBI spokesman Richard Kolko told FOXNews.com. "Before [scammers] might have
known your name. Now they [can access] your name, address, place of
employment and parents' names, because it is all readily available."

And as fast as investigators try put a stop to the schemes, scammers are
reinventing their tricks and staying one step ahead of authorities and the
public.

The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center has received 1 million complaints
related to scams in the past three years, and the Federal Trade Commission
received over 350,000 complaints about identity theft and Internet services.

"Everyone is a target," said Kolko. "Whether you've been affected directly
by the scams or not, everyone in this country is affected," he said,
pointing out that it drives up retail prices across the board.

Here's a list of nine of the nastiest scams in the business - some you've
heard of, some you haven't - but none that you can afford to be in the dark
about.

1. Asian Invasion: The "Asian Extortion Scam" targets business owners,
mostly of Asian decent, with death threats and other violence. Scammers
pluck personal information about their targets from online searches and use
the sensitive data to make victims feel vulnerable. The extortionists, who
appear to be calling from outside the U.S., generally demand between $10,000
and $30,000 - though the FBI says there have been no reports of actual
violence stemming from the schemes.

2. Mystery Shopping Scam: Some companies pay "mystery shoppers" to act as
sample customers and test out the service at stores, banks and restaurants.
But scammers are now targeting stay-at-home moms with "opportunities" to be
defrauded of thousands of dollars. Victims receive a letter in the mail from
a company offering about $400 for shopping at a few stores, along with a
check for thousands of dollars to fund the purchases. The victim deposits
the check into their back account, stops by a few stores and is then asked
to wire about $2,000 back to the company. But when the original check
bounces, victims are out the $2,000 they wired back - plus all the money
they spent to go shopping.

3. Hit Man Scam: In the Hit Man e-mail scheme, scammers send letters
claiming that the boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse of the recipient has
arranged for their death. "It would say something like, 'Your boyfriend paid
$30,000 to have you killed, but if you pay me $15,000 it won't happen,'"
Kolko told FOXNews.com. Another version says a loved one will be kidnapped
unless an advance ransom is paid out immediately, naming specific relatives
(information found courtesy of - you guessed it - more online searches).
Kolko said some recipients feel anxious when the sender names their loved
ones, which can make them more apt to believe the threat is authentic.

4. Million Dollar Scam: If you're offered a shot on the "Oprah Millionaire
Contest Show," you're not going to be the lucky winner of $1 million -
you're the target of a new scam. In order to participate, recipients of the
scam e-mail must first send their contact information and are required to
buy airfare and a ticket to the show in advance. Victims are later asked to
fill out questionnaires seeking detailed personal information, which can put
them at risk for identity theft. Other scammers have been mailing
counterfeit checks with a letter that claims recipients they have won the
"Oprah Show Summer Sweepstakes" - a contest that ended in 2006.

5. Grandparents Scam: "Hi grandma, it's your favorite grandson," says a
scammer on the line. "Tommy, is that you?" "Yes, grandma, it's Tommy.
Listen, my wallet was just stolen and I've lost all of my money. Do you
think you could send me some to make it through the end of the month?"
Unsuspecting victims, momentarily confused or suffering from hearing loss,
go along with the story and wire money out - up to $15,000 in the case of
one giving grandmother who thought she was sending $15,000 to help cover an
auto accident, according to the Better Business Bureau.

6. Military Wheels: People posing as U.S. troops have been posting to
classifieds Web sites offering cars on the cheap that they have to sell
quickly before being deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq. The scams typically
claim there is a third-party protection program to ensure a safe
transaction, but when payments are sent to the "secure" service, victims
either don't receive the car, or get stolen vehicles or ones with a salvaged
title.

7. Jury Scam: Victims of the Jury Scam get an e-mail containing a fake
subpoena ordering recipients to testify before a grand jury, complete with
seemingly genuine details like your name, a case number and court seal. But
the e-mails contain malware that can ruin a computer. Another version of the
scam involves a phone call in which the caller claims to be a jury
coordinator and intimidates victims into revealing personal information.
Once the caller gets a victim's Social Security Number and birth date, it's
all over.

8. Border Bust: Spam claiming to be from a former assistant commissioner of
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol says a foreign diplomat has been stopped with
a consignment of thousands or even millions of dollars, which was found to
be an inheritance for the recipient. Victims who get drawn in receive more
e-mails claiming it is a crime to carry the consignment into the U.S., and
demands personal information and a $250 fee to prove the recipient was not
involved in a terrorist act. If they fail to do so, the spammers tell their
victims they are proving they intended to smuggle the money into the U.S.,
which is a federal offense. Victims never receive a dime but will continue
to get e-mails demanding more money for fees in connection with getting
their "inheritance."

9. FBI Scams: The FBI says there have been "tons of complaints" about
e-mails from people claiming to be FBI agents. Some appear to be from the
Internet Crime Complaint Center and say the recipient has extorted money and
must refund the money or face prosecution. Others, from the non-existent
Anti-Terrorist and Monetary Crimes Division, inform recipients that they are
the beneficiary of millions in inheritance. To claim the money, recipients
must supply their full name, address and bank account number. Scammers even
incorporate the names of top FBI executives into their e-mails by reading
authentic FBI press releases, lending an air of credibility.