| Don't get hooked by these 9 scams |
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"Try to get independent corroboration
of the site: Use two search engines or multiple known directories,"
Fearnley says. He says it's less likely for a scammer to be listed
in multiple locations. For example, a site that shows up on Google
but not Yahoo! should send up red flags. A real IRS site would appear
on both.
3. 'Helpful'
Web sites
Enterprising crooks often construct phony, but official-looking,
Web sites, particularly in the investment arena. The North
American Securities Administration Association offers an example
of a bogus
regulatory agency that purports to handle fraud complaints.
Although such a site looks real, its true purpose is much more sinister
-- to harvest personal information from gullible consumers. Fearnley
says this is another time when doing a comprehensive Web search
is imperative.
4. Stuck with
a time share
If you a bought a time share and lived to regret it, be forewarned
-- the outlook for resale isn't pretty. That market's slower than
a slug on ice, and when the units do sell, it's usually for a fraction
of what the original owner paid.
There's another whopping negative
in the time share resale market, too. Hucksters find desperate owners
are easy targets. In fact, many who offer to resell time shares
not only don't sell them, they take owners for a ride by charging
nonrefundable upfront fees.
Debra G. Speyer, an attorney with
a national practice that specializes in elder law and securities
fraud, says, "You shouldn't be paying upfront money to anybody
to sell anything."
Speyer cautions potential resellers
not to sign away their rights until sale proceeds have cleared.
5. A model career
While shopping, you're approached by someone who says you -- or
your child -- have the look sought by top modeling agencies. While
it's not outside the realm of possibility to be discovered a la
Lana Turner, face it -- you'd have better odds making the Olympic
ice-skating team.
Modeling scams prey on the hopes
of innocent victims and their parents. Jon Sorensen, spokesman for
New York State's Consumer
Protection Board, says these con artists rely on their victims'
desire for fame and fortune.
"Everyone gets weak in the
knees. They think it's the best thing that ever happened to them."
The perpetrators make their money
by selling expensive photo packages. Another common ploy: holding
auditions for talent scouts from multiple agencies. Only thing is,
there's rarely anyone from big-named agencies at these affairs.
And naturally, it costs to participate.
Sorensen says the tactics are strictly
high-pressure. The defense is simple: "Take a breath and see
what's being promised," Sorensen says, especially when they
try to sell you picture packages. "The portfolio in the real
modeling world is a collection of photos from various jobs. What
they're offering is multiple studio shots."
Beginners only need a head shot -- something
Sorensen says the average person can take at home. For more information,
check out the Federal Trade Commission's warning
on modeling scams.
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