where will it stop?
What everyone should know about internet scams and how to avoid them. Plus, ways to report scams to the authorities. Together we can make a difference!
New links will be added as I find them, so be sure to check back now and then ...
New links will be added as I find them, so be sure to check back now and then ...
Contents at a Glance
avoid scams
"All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing." -- Edmund Burke"
Scam artists have probably existed since the beginning of time, but has the emergence of internet spread what seems to be a virus that strips people of integrity? Has the temptation to make fantastic sums of money - at the expense of others- propelled previously honest people to embark on less-than-admirable endeavors?
Horrifying! Certainly, many more people than ever before are looking for ways to supplement their income (or lack thereof), through internet opportunities. Unfortunately, it seems, one is more likely than not to encounter internet scams.
This is despicable! It sickens me to imagine what will become of the human race, if the majority of people eventually lose whatever residual integrity, morality, etc. they may once have had.
The aim of this lens is to create an overview of some very basic ways to avoid getting scammed. That's the first step - the idealist in me would ultimately like to see the eventual eradication of all internet (and other) scams. Ideas and tips are more than welcome from fellow "squiddies" hoping to brighten the future!
Let's put an end to these demoralizing practices now!
Horrifying! Certainly, many more people than ever before are looking for ways to supplement their income (or lack thereof), through internet opportunities. Unfortunately, it seems, one is more likely than not to encounter internet scams.
This is despicable! It sickens me to imagine what will become of the human race, if the majority of people eventually lose whatever residual integrity, morality, etc. they may once have had.
The aim of this lens is to create an overview of some very basic ways to avoid getting scammed. That's the first step - the idealist in me would ultimately like to see the eventual eradication of all internet (and other) scams. Ideas and tips are more than welcome from fellow "squiddies" hoping to brighten the future!
Let's put an end to these demoralizing practices now!
back to integrity
"Hoping to live the American dream, being in position to enjoy the same social, economic and cultural rewards of those who already "have" what I "want" - does not mean that I am not required to earn it. Whispering "sweet nothings" in the ears of voters, pandering to their self-centeredness and short-sightedness, does not mean that they are suddenly qualified to receive a highly-leveraged loan for home ownership. Wealth, fame and power - at least for most people - mere middle class mortals - come before work only in the dictionary.
The time is now to pay attention to what is happening and make sure each person, through his or her actions, blows the whistle when fraudulent behaviors threaten to undo what has been, and could be again, an effective and powerful economic and political system. If a deal sounds too good to be true, then very likely, it is!
Lesson: Just say NO to false prophets selling "house-of-cards" loans and sophisticated "hustlers" with articulate and flawed schemes to steal money."
The time is now to pay attention to what is happening and make sure each person, through his or her actions, blows the whistle when fraudulent behaviors threaten to undo what has been, and could be again, an effective and powerful economic and political system. If a deal sounds too good to be true, then very likely, it is!
Lesson: Just say NO to false prophets selling "house-of-cards" loans and sophisticated "hustlers" with articulate and flawed schemes to steal money."
- read the full article
- ...
- Center for Integrity in Leadership
- High-Speed, Accurate and Effective Management and Leadership Consulting
make a difference!
Gooooooooooooogle?
One of the most common categories I've seen lately is for "Google Cash" or "Google AdMoney" where people claim that Google will pay you for posting links. The ones I read were really convincing, and it seemed to make sense that Google would pay for this kind of work. After reading the first one, I cataloged it as something to undertake in the near future. Having read the same claims from others again and again, I really was nearly convinced that this was legitimate. Luckily, it occured to me to visit Google's homepage and search for the opportunity. At the bottom of the site you'll find a link for "About Google." It took quite some time before I found the dissapointing truth, so how I got there is a bit foggy, but it was on the Google Blogs. That's right - sounded legitimate but wasn't! I was fortunate to discover this before it was too late, but I really feel for those who've gotten sucked in. It's a good idea to check the BBB website - link is listed further down the page.
been scroogled?
If you're wondering whether a money-making program using the Google name is a scam, it's easy to check - just ask the Google Webmaster! If you've already been scammed (sorry!) you can report this to the webmaster ... here are the links:
Google links
- Ask the Webmaster
- post questions to the Google webmaster here
- Report fraud directly to Google
- If you've been scammed, do something about it - report it to the Webmaster!
more links
- IM Report card
- 100's of reports/reviews on Internet Marketing products - check for scams
- ivetriedthat.com
- "I've Tried That - We lose money so you don't have to!"
.
.
.
image courtesy of Darklady74 on Photobucket
Read All About It!
The more searching I do, the more evidence I come across of people who have fallen prey to scammers. The specific scams currently being run are far too numerous to list here, and one could imagine that new scams emerge on a regular basis. Luckily, I happened across two well-organized sites where one can search, browse, or file a complaint for others to read.
Both of these links are written "by the people, for the people."
-
browse thousands of reports from others on specific scams
...
- Ripoff Report
- File a report, search by company/individual/or report #, or just browse. Includes alphabetical listing of categories/companies they call "Top Rip-off Links." 465,648 reports filed so far!
- Complaints Board
- At time of writing - 7,295 PAGES of complaints! Search by Company or Product name, browse by category, or submit a complaint for others to read.
DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT !!!
If you've fallen victim to a scam, or are aware of one - report it to the authorities!
FTC complaints
submit a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission
To reiterate ... "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." This is the most basic rule of thumb! Be skeptical and do as much research as possible.
research before you regret!
- Better Business Bureau
- the one we know and trust ...
- who is.net
- search any ".com" address or domain - very useful
watch out for bogus company names like "You wish you knew," addresses like Anytown, USA and the like (at least these are obviously scams)
from the BBB ...
Better Business Bureau's Starting an eBay Business
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 12/05/2009) 
Better Business Bureau's Buying a Franchise
Amazon Price: $14.96 (as of 12/05/2009)
The eBay Seller's Tax and Legal Answer Book: Everything You Need to Know to Keep the Government Off Your Back and Out of Your Wallet
Amazon Price: $17.05 (as of 12/05/2009)
How and Where to Locate the Merchandise to Sell on eBay: Insider Information You Need to Know from the Experts Who Do It Every Day
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 12/05/2009)
Starting an eBay Business For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance))
Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 12/05/2009)
All together now!
- CHECK FOR SCAMS
- ...
- Better Business Bureau
- the one we know and trust ...
- who is.net
- who are these people?
- Ask the Google Webmaster
- post questions to the Google webmaster here
- IM Report card
- 100's of reports/reviews on Internet Marketing products - check for scams
- ivetriedthat.com
- "I've Tried That - We lose money so you don't have to!"
- Oodle Safety & Fraud Center
- oodles of info from a BBB member!
- REPORT SCAMS
- ...
- FTC complaints
- submit a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission
- The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
- a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
- Report Scams and Fraud with Oodle.com
- good for checking and/or reporting scams
- Consumer Fraud Reporting
- another good link to government sources
Reader Feedback
submit
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Reply
- good4us_all good4us_all Oct 28, 2009 @ 6:25 am
- So glad to help others, and thanks for the tip about e-mail addresses, poddys. If you like this lens, please spread the word! ;-))
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Reply
- spunkyduckling spunkyduckling Oct 13, 2009 @ 8:36 pm
- This lens is great. Sometimes we tend to forget the scary disadvantages of the internet. I'm glad I visited.
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Reply
- winstngwaf winstngwaf Sep 9, 2009 @ 7:19 am
- I can see from this that you really care ,thank you for helping not only me but many others.
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Reply
- Starving_Artist Starving_Artist Aug 17, 2009 @ 6:59 pm
- Thank you for listing ways to research scams...this is very useful!!!
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Reply
- poddys poddys Aug 16, 2009 @ 3:32 pm
- I know some scams are very clever, but most are not. I never cease to be amazed at how people fall for some of them. One thing I do to protect myself is to use multiple email addresses (mostly forwarding addresses). That way, if I receive an email that is supposedly from my bank, paypal, ebay etc but it's sent to the wrong address, I instantly know it's a fake, no matter how convincing it might look. 5***** for a good lens.
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... breathe out ...
and remember this:
You have a lot of friends here on Squidoo!
;)
image courtesy of Photobucket
Seths Blog
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(i'm just a ...) Buzz Machine
The good old New York Times
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Bloomberg Drops an Effort to Cut Building Energy Use
- News Analysis: Similarities to Iraq Surge Plan Mask Risks in Afghanistan
- G.I.’s Learning to Stand Down as Iraqis Step In
- Baucus Nominated Girlfriend for U.S. Attorney, Aide Says
- The Saturday Profile: Trapped Inside a Broken Judicial System After Hitting Send
- News Analysis: Similarities to Iraq Surge Plan Mask Risks in Afghanistan
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HP Pavilion G60-230US 16.0-Inch Laptop
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laptops on eBay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
by good4us_all
Mild-mannered idealist striving to effect positive change on an ailing world. (more)
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