Scams And the Consumer: Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction
You may think wacky scams are urban legends or the stuff of fiction. Be aware that some crazy-sounding scams are real, are working, and result in people becoming victims of identity theft.
Secret Scams
Secrecy is another warning sign of possible identity theft. When someone asks you to keep a deal a secret it may be a sign that it's a scam. To prevent identity theft steer clear of secretive schemes.
Scam Speak
Crooks and scam artists who commit identity theft use some common phrases, also known as "Scam Speak." If you know what to listen for you can avoid getting ripped off, even if the scam speak is top notch.
Work-At-Home Schemes
Work-at-home schemes are costly -- to the victim. These schemes often promise fast, easy money for little work. Instead of working from home and earning money, your identity is stolen after you provide personal details to the scam artist.
Identity Theft
Identity Theft is becoming a bigger problem, in part because people are using more and more technology. Consumers must become more vigilant about where and how they store personal information to avert identity theft.
Foreign Lottery Scams
Foreign lottery scams are becoming more popular with the growth of the Internet. Foreign lottery scams are another way that thieves try to steal your identity. If you are notified that you have won a foreign lottery, beware that this could lead to identity theft.
Magazine Scams Abound
Magazine scams are not what you'd consider traditional identity theft. In a magazine scam you pay for a subscription, but the publisher keeps sending you renewal notices. To avert a magazine scam, pay careful attention to who is selling you the subscription.
Medical Identity Theft
Medical identity theft happens when someone starts filing medical bills in your name and collecting the payments. It's identity theft on steriods, but there are ways to fight it.
Phishing
Identity theft is difficult and time-consuming to fix. If you don't protect your identity, it's easy to get scammed. Phishing is a type of identity theft that comes in your email.
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