Internet Scams

Internet Scams

This year, in The United States, it was estimated that consumers would spend 2.3 billion dollars on the Internet. This total is up from 1.1 billion of last year. On-line scam artists bilk Internet consumers for $100 million of the above total. In the last year U.S. Securities has charged 44 individuals with stock fraud http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-512512.html?legacy=zdnn

Many ads fool your home computer promising $5 to $50,000 in 90 days! The same goes for many MLM (multiple level marketing) programs offered every day through your e-mail. The scam: you sign up others for material, service or products that don't exist. You, as part of MLM get a small commission on fees you receive from others. It is ultimately the responsibility of the reader to research a product or service.Many of these promote get-rich-quick ideas that have nothing to do with reality. The goal, for many, is to sell overpriced how-to information or to gather a group of associates to sell it for them.

When buying goods or services off the Internet, write down the merchants phone number and address so you can call if something is amiss.

* Always use your credit card; but only at secure servers, as this provides a paper trail to track down a bad transaction. * Demand clear conditions of sale, cost of shipping and handling charges. A reputable site will tell you, "up front" what those costs are. * Initial purchases should only involve small amounts of money from reputable vendors.

The top ten on line scams are:

1. Web auctions: items brought but never delivered; 2. non delivery of merchandise; 3. additional charges for services that were supposed to be free; 4. hardware and software purchased but never delivered or not as promised; 5. MLM schemes; 6. easy business opportunities ; 7. work at home plans; 8. false secured loans; 9. promises to fix "your credit rating" 10. give out credit cards for up-front payments (the card never arrives).

1) the consumers association at http://www.consumerworld.org/

2)http://www.fraud.org/ which updates you on all the latest scams.