How to Spot a Scam a Mile Off

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Received the following forwarded email from a subscriberthis morning:"I am an Executive Director with the Nigerian NationalPetroleum Corporation (NNPC) and a member of theContract Advisory Committee (...
Received the following forwarded email from a subscriberthis morning:"I am an Executive Director with the Nigerian NationalPetroleum Corporation (NNPC) and a member of theContract Advisory Committee (CAC). I am seeking yourassistance to enable me transfer the sum of$26,500,000 (Twenty Six Million, Five hundred ThousandUnited States Dollars) into your private/companyaccount."Carole told me she has received "3 or 4 of these in the lastweek, I think from different people.
I deleted the others. It makesme nervous.
Sounds like a dangerous scam. "That's exactly what it is, of course.
Maybe you're reading thisthinking "I can't believe people are still falling for the Nigeriascam after all this time". On the other hand, maybe you'rereading this thinking, "Wow, I might have responded to that.
Howam I supposed to know what's a scam and what's real?The reality is that there are hundreds of thousands of peoplecoming online, for the first time, each year. Many of thesepeople have simply not been exposed to scams like the onesthat are constantly touted on the Internet before.
Many of thesepeople come online to try and find a way to make money with theircomputers and/or they're looking for ideas for making moneyfrom home.The fact that they may not recognize scams off the bat doesn'tmean they're naive or stupid, it just means that they haven't beenin an environment where this sort of stuff came their way beforenow. And don't the scammers know it.Like vultures circling overhead, they await their prey.
They knowthey have only a narrow window of opportunity because it doesn'ttake newbies long to catch on so they have to be quick about it. Andhow do they do that? They hang out where newbies hang out sothey can get them while they're still young and fresh and vulnerable.They're nothing but predators looking to pick off the easiest game.Wouldn't want to have to engage in any real work, after all.In this article we look at several main scams and how to recognizethem.=> Nigerian Advance Fee SchemeThe gist of this worldwide scheme is that small to medium-sizebusinesses receive a letter from someone who purports to bean official of the Nigerian government or major utility or similarwho needs to transfer some huge amount of money out of thecountry.
The money typically is an overpayment by the governmenton a procurement contract. The object of the exercise is to getyou to provide your bank account details (for the purpose ofwire transferring the money of course).
Surprise surprise, there'sa transfer all right but not INTO your account!=> The FTC "Dirty Dozen"These are the top 12 scams that have been identified by the(U.S.) Federal Trade Commission as the most likely to arrivevia email:1. Business Opportunities - often pyramid schemes (see below)thinly disguised as legitimate opportunities to earn money.What to look for: high returns with little or no effort or cash outlayrequired.2.
Bulk Email - offers of lists of thousands of email addressesall of whom, of course, are just dying to receive your marketingmessage.What to look for: "Bulk Email Works! 10,000 addresses for $9.99."3. Chain Letters - send $5 to the next name on the list thencross the bottom name off the list, replace it with your own, thenforward the letter to 500 of your nearest and dearest.What to look for: A jail cell.
This is a pyramid scheme and isillegal. The letter goes to great pains to say that it is not illegal.4.
Envelope Stuffing - think you're going to be paid for stuffingenvelopes? Think again. You get a kit that you can turn aroundto recruit others to an envelope stuffing scam of your very own!Watch out for craft assembly work as well.
You'll probably findall of your hard work is not up to their exacting "quality standards"and therefore you won't get paid for your work.5. Health and Diet Scams - magic pills that eradicate the needto eat fewer calories than you expend in order to lose weight.They don't work.6.
Effortless Income - no such thing. As the FTC says, if theyworked, everyone would be doing it.7.
Free Goods - you're told you'll get a free computer. You haveto pay a fee to join a club and then told you have to recruit othermembers.
You get paid in computers. They're nothing but pyramidschemes.8.
Investment Opportunities - look for outrageously high ratesof return with no risk.9. Cable Descrambler Kits - they probably won't work and evenif they do, you're stealing a service from a cable company andcommitting a crime.10.
Guaranteed Loans or Credit - pay a fee and you'regiven a list of lenders, all of whom turn you down. Credit cardsnever arrive.11.
Credit Repair - no matter how bad your credit, pay thesepeople and they'll fix it. They generally just advise you how to lieon future credit applications - how to commit fraud in other words.12.
Vacation Prize Promotions - your accommodations will be sobad you'll want to pay for an upgrade. You'll probably have to payto schedule a vacation at the time you want as well.=> Pyramid SchemesMake money by recruiting members into the program without givinganything of equal value in exchange for membership fees.
ContrastMLM (multi-level marketing schemes). These are not pyramidschemes because they involve the sale of products and servicesin return for membership.=> Medical BillingPrepackaged businesses requiring an investment of $2,000 to$8,000.
Few people who purchase one of these "businesses"are able to find clients, start a business and generate revenues.Competition in this area is fierce and concentrated around afew big, well-entrenched firms.=> Your In BoxFinally, go to your in-box now. You'll find no end of scams sittingright there.
Here's one that just arrived in mine ..."Subject: How to make $1,000,000 in 20 weeks selling toNewcomers on the Net"Like all the rest, it gets the one-finger salute - index fingerto the delete key. Works beautifully every time.Where to go for more information on internet scams:FTC Websitehttp://www.ftc.gov/ftc/consumer.htmScambustershttp://www.scambusters.orgNetscamshttp://www.netscams.com/frameset.html Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com .