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Not every good offer is a scam.
It's possible that an offer or deal similar to one of these scams is
genuine... but remember: It's always a good idea to do your research and
make a careful, educated decision before handing over any money,
personal information, or your signature.
And keep in mind that not all of
these situations are illegal. But just because something is
legal, that doesn't mean it's a fair deal to you!
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Mortgage-Related
Scams |
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In this
economy, there are plenty of mortgage-related offers out there.
Some are valid offers, some are simply bad deals, and some are
actually illegal. It's important to research your options
as well as the company making you an offer before doing
business. Click on the link below to find out who's a U.S.
Housing and Urban Development-approved counselor! |
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>
more information (Department of Justice)
>
more information (NeighborWorks /
LoanScamAlert.org) |
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Online Payday
Lending Scams |
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Beware of
online payday lending websites. Many consumers have signed
up for what they thought would be a two-week loan only to find
out that their bank accounts are quickly drained towards hidden
"finance fees." |
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>
more information (Better Business Bureau) |
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"Free" Trial Offers
that Aren't |
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Often, you
will be offered a free trial version of something before you
make your actual purchase. Many times, this is a safe
practice: receiving a tiny cube of cheese at the supermarket,
for example, does not require your bank account or credit card
information. Some offers, however, require a complicated
cancellation process to be followed or you may find yourself
making an automatic monthly payment. Be wary of any "free"
offer that asks for your personal or banking information.
Pay attention to your financial statements and always
inform your bank or credit union about any charges that you
didn't authorize. |
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>
more information (Federal Trade
Commission) |
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How to Identify a
Genuine Census Worker |
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Real U.S.
Census workers will not ask for your Social Security Number or
information about your debt or finances. Sometimes, a
scammer will pose as a census worker either via e-mail, regular
mail, or in person. the Census is an important process,
but don't be afraid to ask to see identification. |
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>
more information (Department of Justice) |
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General Personal
Information Scams |
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The scam
works like this: You will get a phone call, letter, or e-mail
with some surprising or terrible news that can supposedly be
averted if and only if you send your personal information in
right now! This may be an e-mail suggesting that you're
signed up for jury duty and they need your Social Security
Number to schedule you or you will be fined. Be wary in
any situation in which someone calls you asking for personal
information. Stay calm. If you need to, tell the
other person that you need to verify their information and
you'll call their office back. |
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>
more information (Federal Bureau of
Investigation) |
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| Refund Anticipation
Loans |
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Would you pay
for the privilege of borrowing your own money? You may, if
you need it right away. But keep in mind that you're
paying for money that you'll otherwise soon get anyway. If
you weigh your options and do decide to consider a refund
anticipation loan, make sure that all of your actual and
possible costs are spelled out in writing, such as your interest
rate, any fees you will be charged, and who is responsible if
your refund is less than what you thought it would be. |
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>
more information (The Oregonian) |
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Shoddy Tax
Preparation |
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If you have
your taxes prepared for you, make sure that your tax preparer is
certified. You can search to see if a tax preparer is
licensed by
following this link.
Some preparers will promise huge refunds (and rig your return to
make it look that way) and convince you that their fee is less
than the return... but when the errors are resolved, YOU still
end up owing the full amount! |
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>
more information (Department of Justice) |
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"Who's Who" Books
or Registries |
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It's an honor
to be recognized among your peers in any walk of life.
However, sometimes you'll receive an offer from someone who is
compiling a "Who's Who" directory or registry and tell you that
the inclusion fee is hundreds of dollars or more. Be sure
that you're getting your money's worth -- sometimes, the
"networking" benefits of being included in such a directory is
that your information is sold to marketers! |
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>
more information (LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com) |
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"Work From Home
Online" Offers |
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There are
some good, honest ways to make money by providing services
through your computer. But when a company or individual
attempts to sell you a "kit" that you're meant to use to get
started... by cautious. Many of these kits contain
services that are otherwise available for free, and you may end
up paying a monthly charge on your credit card which -- though
technically legal -- is a bad deal. Google has information
on this and a
wide variety of other such scams. |
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>
more information (Google's official site) |
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Drained Gift Cards |
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You know that
when you have a gift card to a particular store, you can often
use that card to purchase items online. Scammers know this
too, and sometimes they'll write down numbers of unsold
cards, then continue checking the balance online until it
becomes activated, at which point they use the number of the
card online. When you buy a gift card, ask what
kinds of safeguards are built into it. Some stores only
allow balance-checks in person. Many cards now have a
verification code written under a scratch-off covering on the
reverse. Never buy a card that has had its
scratch-off already scratched off! |
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>
news story
from Businessweek |
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Sham Charities |
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Make sure
that when you give to charity, you're giving to a
properly-registered charity. This not only helps ensure
that your money is going to a good cause, but also that you're
free to deduct the donation from your taxable income. Some
"charities" may give little or no money to the cause they're
claiming to support. Click the link below to find out how
to check up on charities. |
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>
more information (Department of Justice) |
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Bank Account
Verification |
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A bank
(either yours or not) will call or text you claiming that your
account requires verification. They may claim that it has
been compromised or that they need to make a deposit. No
legitimate bank will call you and ask for your account
information. This scam often pretends to be from Bank of
the Cascades and text messages are especially sent to 541 area
code numbers. |
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>
more information (Department of Justice) |
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"Free" Puppies (or
anything else of value that seems free) |
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Sometimes the
ad offers a free puppy. Or, maybe a pure bred dog needs a new
home. The scam works like this: although the dogs are "free,"
the seller will ask to be wired money in order to safely ship
the dogs. Some victims have even gone to the airport to pick up
their new pet only to discover there is no dog and they've been
scammed. This scam may even show up as ad an run in a
reputable newspaper. |
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>
more information (Department of Justice) |
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"Free" Money
Transfer Fees |
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Oftentimes
people are promised "free" money from somewhere. This can
be a government grant, proceeds from a lottery, or even a gift
for helping someone you've never met make financial
arrangements. Don't be taken in by a scam that asks you to
put money upfront to get a larger amount of money later.
Remember: If you are owed money, you can always ask for
contact information so that you can research the situation
properly and call back. |
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PDF |
More resources:
>
Oregon Department of Justice Scam Alerts
|
Follow on Twitter
>
FBI: Common Fraud Schemes
>
ConsumerAction.gov
>
Federal Trade Commission
>
LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com |
