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Would You Fall for These Scams?
By Kelli B. Grant
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Fast-Cash Con No. 3
When you're told money is coming
your way
The phone rings, and the caller informs you
that you are the lucky recipient of some
funds. The exact pitch can take various
forms — stimulus bucks from the IRS or a
free gift card from your credit card
company are popular ploys, says Gary
Brown, director of communications for the
New York State Consumer Protection
Board. In order to process your reward, though, the caller says he'll need some personal
financial information to make sure he's reached the correct individual. You guessed it: The
subtext here is to collect your credit card and/or bank information and then make
unauthorized purchases. The thieves may also aim for your Social Security number so they
can steal your identity, too.
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Protect-yourself plan Never offer up personal or financial information during a call you
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didn't initiate, says Brown. (The IRS, for example, does not initiate contact by phone or by e-
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mail.) Worried you're missing out on a legit phone pitch? Ask for the information in writing. A
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you, as they claim, they should have your address on file.
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Fast-Cash No. 4
When you want to earn cash for shopping
Bethany Mooradian of Seattle was thrilled to accept a "secret shopper" assignment in which
she'd help evaluate a bank. All she had to do was open an account, deposit a check she'd be
mailed, and then transfer most of it elsewhere. "I set up an account," says Mooradian, "but
quickly closed it. It just seemed off." Mooradian still notices (though never signs up for) a
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version of the same scam: postings that ask shoppers to "test" a wire-transfer service by
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cashing a check sent to them — for, say, $2,500 — and wiring back, say, $2,000.
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Such check-fraud scams take advantage of laws requiring your bank to offer temporary credit
for deposited checks within five days of deposit, even though, says Weisman, it can take
weeks for the funds to clear — or bounce, as is usually the case with these fake checks (but
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by then, the cash the victim wired is long gone).
Protect-yourself plan True secret-shopper gigs — where companies reimburse you for
purchases at your favorite stores and restaurants if you assess their customer service — are
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few and far between. Don't fall for unsolicited e-mail invitations or respond to newspaper ads
for such programs.
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Don't Click: Following unsolicited links that arrive in your e-mail may download malware,
which can log your keystrokes — catching account numbers and passwords as you enter
them — or just send you to a spoof website (one that looks like a familiar site but is
actually a ploy designed to steal your information).
Sleep on It: Many scams have a limited-time-only element to them. If you are told you
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need to decide ASAP, don't do it. A legit offer will allow you to take your time and ask
questions.
Beef Up Computer Security: Make sure you have security software that updates
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automatically. Check out symantec.com or mcafee.com for options.
Help! I've Been Scammed
First, don't be too hard on yourself. Even the savviest of consumers can fall for these ruses.
Next: Take action.
Report the scam File a police report with your local precinct, and send a complaint to
the Federal Trade Commission (ftccomplaintassistant.gov) and your state attorney
general (to find yours, go to naag.org). Investigators may be able to track down the
perpetrator.
Don't shell out any more cash Many scammers double back to victims, posing as
groups that help recover lost funds, warns Levin. Naturally, they ask for a fee up front and
then dash away with more of your cash. Be wary if you receive this kind of unsolicited offer
of help.
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