| The FTC recently named common scams most likely
to come to you through the mail. These scams sound legitimate
and can be very tempting when money is tight. Do you recognize
seeing any of these?
1. Business Opportunities
Most business "opportunities" received in the mail
are pyramid schemes with the opportunity being for you to
loose your money.
2. Bulk Mail
Email addresses offered for sale to you to send out your business
promotions. You are skirting the law on legal usage of the
Internet on this one. Several states have laws regulating
the sending of unsolicited commercial email.
3. Chain Letters
Whether it is money or a product such as a mailing list or
recipe changing hands in the transaction, does not change
the legality of these schemes.
4. Work-at-home Schemes
Envelope stuffing solicitations promise steady income for
minimal labor, but, most often what you really get for a fee
is a set of instructions on how to send the same solicitation
to someone else and hope they fall for it like you did.
5. Health and Diet Scams
Pills that help you lose weight without exercising or changing
your diet, herbal formulas that liquefy fat cells, and cures
for impotence and hair loss are common offers. The fact is
that they do not work. Beware of language like: "scientific
breakthrough," miraculous cure," exclusive product,"
"secret formula," and "ancient ingredient."
6. Effortless income
Beware of get-rich-quick schemes offering unlimited profits
on world currency, newsletters describing easy-money opportunities;
the secret to making $4,000 in one day. Success generally
requires hard work and time.
7. Investment Opportunities
Investment schemes promise outrageous high rates of return
with no risk. They may claim to be seeking investors to help
form an offshore bank. Many are vague about the nature of
the investment. Most of these are Ponzi schemes in which early
investors are paid off with money contributed by later investors.
The money eventually runs out.
8. Cable Descrambler Kits
The offer is to buy a descrambler and avoid cable service.
Most cable systems are untouched by such devices and it is
illegal to steal from the services.
9. Credit Repair
Only time spent in deliberate effort can repair your bad
credit. Often, what you will get for your money are ideas
on how to obtain a loan by falsifying loan applications. This
is fraud.
10. Vacation Prize Promotions
You may receive a certificate claiming you have been specially
selected for free lodging, cruises, etc. Often the ships look
more like tug boats and the hotels are shabby, or when you
arrive, there is no reservation. These are mailed out in the
thousands at one time.
Source: I.Varley, 3.02
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