Do you receive lots of junk email messages from people you don’t know? It’s no surprise if you do. As more people use email, marketers are increasingly using email messages to pitch their products and services. Some consumers find unsolicited commercial email – also known as “spam” – annoying and time consuming; others have lost money to bogus offers that arrived in their email in-box.
Chamber of Commerce.com has information about the Federal Trade Commission’s recent law enforcement actions against deceptive commercial email and spammers’ responsibilities under the CAN-SPAM law. In the “For Consumers” section, you’ll find tips on how to reduce the amount of spam email in your in-box.
If you get spam email that you think is deceptive, forward it to spam@uce.gov. The FTC uses the spam stored in this database to pursue law enforcement actions against people who send deceptive email.
E-mail spam is not just unwanted-it can be offensive. Pornographic spam provokes many consumer complaints. Decrease the number of spam e-mails you receive by making it difficult for spammers to get and use your e-mail address.
Don’t use an obvious-mail – like “JaneDoe@isp.com.” Instead use one with numbers or other digits such as Jane4oe6@isp.com
Use one e-mail address for close friends and family and another for everyone else. – Free addresses are available from Hotmail and Yahoo! You can also get a disposable forwarding address from www.spammotel.com. If an address attracts too much spam, get rid of it and establish a new one.
Don’t post your e-mail address on a public web page. – Spammers use software that harvests text addresses. Substitute “janedoe at isp.com” for the “janedoe@isp.com.” Or display your address as a graphic image, not text.
Don’t enter your address on a web site before you check its privacy policy.
Uncheck any check boxes. – These often grant the site or its partners permission to contact you.
Don’t click on an e-mail’s “unsubscribe” link – unless you trust the sender. This action tells the sender you’re there.
Never forward chain letters, petitions, or virus warnings. – All could be a spammer’s trick to collect addresses.
Disable your e-mail “preview pane.” – This stops spam from reporting to its sender that you’ve received it.
Choose an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that filters e-mail. – If you get lots of spam, your ISP may not be filtering effectively.
Use spam-blocking software. – Web browser software often includes free filtering options. You can also purchase special software that will accomplish this task.
Report spam. – Notify your ISP so it is aware what kind of spam is slipping through its filters. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also wants to know about “unsolicited commercial email.” Forward spam to uce@ftc.gov.
You’ve Got Spam: How to “Can” Unwanted Email
Do you receive lots of junk email messages from people you don’t know? It’s no surprise if you do. As more people use email, marketers are increasingly using email messages to pitch their products and services. Some consumers find unsolicited commercial email – also known as “spam” – annoying and time consuming; others have lost money to bogus offers that arrived in their email in-box.
Typically, an email spammer buys a list of email addresses from a list broker, who compiles it by “harvesting” addresses from the Internet. If your email address appears in a newsgroup posting, on a website, in a chat room, or in an online service’s membership directory, it may find its way onto these lists. The marketer then uses special software that can send hundreds of thousands – even millions – of email messages to the addresses at the click of a mouse.
How Can I Reduce the Amount of Spam that I Receive?
Try not to display your email address in public. That includes newsgroup postings, chat rooms, websites or in an online service’s membership directory. You may want to opt out of member directories for your online services; spammers may use them to harvest addresses.
Check the privacy policy when you submit your address to a website. See if it allows the company to sell your address. You may want to opt out of this provision, if possible, or not submit your address at all to websites that won’t protect it.
Read and understand the entire form before you transmit personal information through a website. Some websites allow you to opt out of receiving email from their “partners” – but you may have to uncheck a preselected box if you want to opt out .
Decide if you want to use two email addresses – one for personal messages and one for newsgroups and chat rooms. You also might consider using a disposable email address service that creates a separate email address that forwards to your permanent account. If one of the disposable addresses begins to receive spam, you can shut it off without affecting your permanent address.
Use a unique email address. Your choice of email addresses may affect the amount of spam you receive. Spammers use “dictionary attacks” to sort through possible name combinations at large ISPs or email services, hoping to find a valid address. Thus, a common name such as jdoe may get more spam than a more unique name like jd51x02oe. Of course, there is a downside – it’s harder to remember an unusual email address.
Use an email filter. Check your email account to see if it provides a tool to filter out potential spam or a way to channel spam into a bulk email folder. You might want to consider these options when you’re choosing which Internet Service Provider (ISP) to use.
What Can I Do With the Spam in my In-Box?
Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Send a copy of unwanted or deceptive messages to spam@uce.gov. The FTC uses the unsolicited emails stored in this database to pursue law enforcement actions against people who send deceptive spam email.
Let the FTC know if a “remove me” request is not honored. If you want to complain about a removal link that doesn’t work or not being able to unsubcribe from a list, you can fill out the FTC’s online complaint form at www.ftc.gov. Your complaint will be added to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel database and made available to hundreds of law enforcement and consumer protection agencies.
Whenever you complain about spam, it’s important to include the full email header. The information in the header makes it possible for consumer protection agencies to follow up on your complaint.
Send a copy of the spam to your ISP’s abuse desk. Often the email address is abuse@yourispname.com or postmaster@yourispname.com. By doing this, you can let the ISP know about the spam problem on their system and help them to stop it in the future. Make sure to include a copy of the spam, along with the full email header. At the top of the message, state that you’re complaining about being spammed.
Complain to the sender’s ISP. Most ISPs want to cut off spammers who abuse their system. Again, make sure to include a copy of the message and header information and state that you’re complaining about spam.
How Can I Avoid Spam Scams?
The FTC suggests that you treat commercial email solicitations the same way you would treat an unsolicited telemarketing sales call. Don’t believe promises from strangers. Greet money making opportunities that arrive at your in box with skepticism. Most of the time, these are old fashioned scams delivered via the newest technology.
Here are some of the most common scam offers likely to arrive by email:
Chain letters. Chain letters that involve money or valuable items and promise big returns are illegal. If you start one or send one on, you are breaking the law. Chances are you will receive little or no money back on your “investment.” Despite the claims, a chain letter will never make you rich.
Work-At-Home Schemes. Not all work at home opportunities deliver on their promises. Many ads omit the fact that you may have to work many hours without pay. Or they don’t disclose all the costs you will have to pay. Countless work at home schemes require you to spend your own money to place newspaper ads; make photocopies; or buy the envelopes, paper, stamps, and other supplies or equipment you need to do the job. The companies sponsoring the ads also may demand that you pay for instructions or “tutorial” software. Consumers deceived by these ads have lost thousands of dollars, in addition to their time and energy.
Weight Loss Claims. Programs or products that promote easy or effortless long term weight loss don’t work. Taking off weight, and keeping it off, requires exercise and permanent changes in your diet. All the testimonials and guarantees in your email are not worth the space they take up on your hard drive.
Credit Repair Offers. Ignore offers to erase accurate negative information from your credit record. There’s no legal way to do that.
Advance Fee Loan Scams. Be wary of promises to provide a loan for a fee, regardless of your past credit history. Remember, legitimate banks don’t issue credit cards without first checking your credit.
Adult Entertainment. You may get an email from an adult entertainment site that claims to offer content for “free” and doesn’t require a credit card number for access. All you have to do is download a “viewer” or “dialer” program. However, once the program is downloaded onto your computer, it may disconnect your Internet connection and reconnect to an international long distance phone number, at rates between $2 and $7 a minute. Be skeptical when you see opportunities to view “free” content on the web.
Ready to Pop Your Top Over “Pop Up Spam?” Here’s How to Make it Stop
Are you interrupted by a stream of “pop up” messages that stop you from using your home computer until you close them?
Are you tired of seeing one message invariably morph into more – even when you’re not using your Web browser?
Are you frustrated by the fact that many pop up spammers are advertising software to block the exact type of messages they’re sending? It’s a high-tech variation on a classic scam: Pop up spammers want your money to fix the very problem they created.
Persistent and annoying, pop up spam also is a signal that your home computer is open to hackers. They could use this vulnerability to take over your computer and install new programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts that give them full access to your machine.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, you can block unwanted pop up messages and better protect your computer from hackers. It’s as simple as turning off the Microsoft Windows feature that allows pop up messages, or installing and running a firewall. The advantage of a firewall is that it prevents other types of unauthorized access to your computer, beyond pop up spam. Neither approach will stop pop up advertisements sent to your browser by a Web page you are visiting.
Disabling Windows Messenger Service
Pop up spammers are exploiting a feature of the Microsoft Windows operating systems known as Messenger Service. Despite the name, Windows Messenger Service doesn’t have anything to do with instant messaging. It is designed to provide users on a local- or wide-area computer network with messages from the network administrator. For example, a company’s network administrator might send a message to all its users that the company’s network will be shutting down in five minutes. If your home computer is connected only to the Internet, you may not have any practical uses for Windows Messenger Service. If your computer is on a business or home network, however, shutting off Messenger Service might not be the best approach. Your network should be protected by a firewall.
Disabling the messenger service will prevent the possibility of pop up spam. To disable the messenger service:
Click Start, and then click Control Panel (or point to Settings, and then click Control Panel).
Double-click Administrative Tools. Double-click Services. Double-click Messenger.
In the Startup type list, click Disabled. Click Stop, and then click OK.
Installing and Running a Firewall
Another way to cut off pop up spam is to run a firewall – software or hardware designed to block hackers from accessing your computer and getting into your programs and files.
A firewall is different from anti-virus protection: Anti-virus software scans incoming communications and files for troublesome files; a firewall helps make you invisible on the Internet and blocks all communications from unauthorized sources. It’s especially important to run a firewall if you have high-speed Internet access through a cable modem or a DSL (digital subscriber line) connection.
Some recently released operating system software (including Windows XP) comes with a built-in firewall. Because it may be shipped in the “off” mode, check your online “Help” feature for specifics on turning it on and setting it up properly. If your operating system doesn’t include a firewall, you can install separate firewall software that runs in the background while you use your computer and surf the Internet. Several free firewall software programs are available on the Internet. (You can find one by typing “free firewall” into your favorite search engine.) Or you can buy a hardware firewall – an external device that includes firewall software. Like anti-virus software, a firewall needs to be updated regularly to stay effective.
If you want to complain about a deceptive pop up spam message, use the FTC’s online complaint form at www.ftc.gov. Your complaint will be added to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel database and made available to hundreds of law enforcement and consumer protection agencies. Be sure your complaint includes the name of the company or Web site advertised in the pop up spam.
How Not to Get Hooked by a ‘Phishing’ Scam
Spam and Telemarketing
Telephone Calls
Spam
How To ‘Can’ Spam
Stopping ‘Pop Up’ Spam
» ’Phishing’ Scams
Wireless Phones & Mobile Devices
Spam Disaster Scams
The ‘Nigerian’ Scam
Top 12 Scams Arriving in Spam
“We suspect an unauthorized transaction on your account. To ensure that your account is not compromised, please click the link below and confirm your identity.”
“During our regular verification of accounts, we couldn’t verify your information. Please click here to update and verify your information.”
Have you received email with a similar message? It’s a scam called “phishing” – and it involves Internet fraudsters who send spam or pop-up messages to lure personal information (credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information) from unsuspecting victims.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, phishers send an email or pop-up message that claims to be from a business or organization that you may deal with – for example, an Internet service provider (ISP), bank, online payment service, or even a government agency. The message may ask you to “update,” “validate,” or “confirm” your account information. Some phishing emails threaten a dire consequence if you don’t respond. The messages direct you to a website that looks just like a legitimate organization’s site. But it isn’t. It’s a bogus site whose sole purpose is to trick you into divulging your personal information so the operators can steal your identity and run up bills or commit crimes in your name.
The FTC suggests these tips to help you avoid getting hooked by a phishing scam: If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply. And don’t click on the link in the message, either. Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information via email. If you are concerned about your account, contact the organization mentioned in the email using a telephone number you know to be genuine, or open a new Internet browser session and type in the company’s correct Web address yourself. In any case, don’t cut and paste the link from the message into your Internet browser – phishers can make links look like they go to one place, but that actually send you to a different site.
Use anti-virus software and a firewall, and keep them up to date. Some phishing emails contain software that can harm your computer or track your activities on the Internet without your knowledge.
Anti-virus software and a firewall can protect you from inadvertently accepting such unwanted files. Anti-virus software scans incoming communications for troublesome files. Look for anti-virus software that recognizes current viruses as well as older ones; that can effectively reverse the damage; and that updates automatically.
A firewall helps make you invisible on the Internet and blocks all communications from unauthorized sources. It’s especially important to run a firewall if you have a broadband connection. Operating systems (like Windows or Linux) or browsers (like Internet Explorer or Netscape) also may offer free software “patches” to close holes in the system that hackers or phishers could exploit.
Don’t email personal or financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information. If you initiate a transaction and want to provide your personal or financial information through an organization’s website, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser’s status bar or a URL for a website that begins “https:” (the “s” stands for “secure”). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some phishers have forged security icons.
Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to check for unauthorized charges. If your statement is late by more than a couple of days, call your credit card company or bank to confirm your billing address and account balances.
Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent them. These files can contain viruses or other software that can weaken your computer’s security.
Forward spam that is phishing for information to spam@uce.gov and to the company, bank, or organization impersonated in the phishing email. Most organizations have information on their websites about where to report problems.
If you believe you’ve been scammed, file your complaint at ftc.gov. Victims of phishing can become victims of identity theft. While you can’t entirely control whether you will become a victim of identity theft, you can take some steps to minimize your risk. If an identity thief is opening credit accounts in your name, these new accounts are likely to show up on your credit report. You may catch an incident early if you order a free copy of your credit report periodically from any of the three major credit bureaus. See www.annualcreditreport.com for details on ordering a free annual credit report.
Unwanted Text Messages and E-Mail on Wireless Phones and Other Mobile Devices
Many consumers find unsolicited e-mail – also known as “spam” – annoying and time-consuming. In addition, unwanted messages sent to wireless phones and other devices can be intrusive and costly. In 2003, Congress enacted the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act to curb spam. As required by the Act, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules that prohibit sending unwanted commercial e-mail messages to wireless devices without prior permission. This ban took effect in March 2005. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) adopted detailed rules that restrict sending unwanted commercial e-mail messages to computers.
FCC’s CAN-SPAM Rules
The FCC’s ban on sending unwanted e-mail messages to wireless devices applies to all “commercial messages.” The CAN-SPAM Act defines commercial messages as those for which the primary purpose is to advertise or promote a commercial product or service. The FCC’s ban does not cover “transactional or relationship” messages, or notices to facilitate a transaction you have already agreed to. These messages would include statements about an existing account or warranty information about a product you’ve purchased. The FCC’s ban also does not cover non-commercial messages, such as messages about candidates for public office.
The FCC’s ban covers messages sent to cell phones and pagers, if the message uses an Internet address that includes an Internet domain name (usually the part of the address after the individual or electronic mailbox name and the “@” symbol). The FCC’s ban does not cover “short messages,” typically sent from one mobile phone to another, that do not use an Internet address. Also, the FCC’s ban does not cover e-mail messages that you have forwarded from your computer to your wireless device (but the FTC’s rules may restrict such messages).
TCPA and CAN-SPAM
The CAN-SPAM Act supplements some consumer protections already put into place by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Under the TCPA the FCC established the National Do-Not-Call Registry. This Registry lists telephone numbers that telemarketers are prohibited from calling unless they have an established business relationship with the called party or are otherwise exempt. FCC rules prohibit sending unwanted text messages to your wireless phone number if they are sent using an autodialer, or if you have placed that number on the National Do-Not-Call Registry.
Even if you have placed your wireless phone number on the National Do-Not-Call Registry, the TCPA does not protect you from receiving commercial messages sent to that number if:
You have given your prior consent to the sender, or;
You have an established business relationship with the sender.
For more information on the TCPA and Do-Not-Call Registry, visit http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/tcpa.html.
Express Prior Authorization
Under the FCC’s rules, commercial e-mail messages may only be sent to your wireless device via the Internet if you have provided your “express prior authorization.” Commercial e-mail senders may request that you provide this authorization orally or in writing (e-mail or letter). They must tell you the name of the entity that will be sending the messages and, if different, the name of the entity advertising products or services. All commercial e-mail messages sent to you after you’ve given your authorization must allow you to revoke your authorization, or “opt out” of receiving future messages. You must be allowed to opt out the same way you “opted in,” including by dialing a short code. Senders have 10 days to honor requests to opt out.
Wireless Domain Name List
To help enforce its ban, the FCC required all wireless service providers to provide all Internet domain names used to transmit electronic messages to wireless devices. The FCC published this list on its Web site at www.fcc.gov/cgb/policy/DomainNameDownload.html. Senders are prohibited from sending commercial e-mail messages to any Internet domain name on this list without the recipient’s express prior authorization. Senders have 30 days from the date the domain name is posted on the FCC site to stop sending unauthorized commercial e-mail to Internet addresses containing the domain name. Wireless service providers must add new domain names to the FCC’s list within 30 days of activating them.
FTC Rules/FCC Enforcement
The FCC can enforce the FTC’s restrictions on any commercial e-mail message sent to a non-wireless device, such as a desktop computer, if:
The sender is a telecommunications company (telephone, radio, paging, cable, or television company), or;
The message advertises or promotes a product or service of a telecommunications company.
The FTC’s rules require:
Identification – Unsolicited commercial e-mail sent to non-wireless accounts must be clearly identified as a solicitation or advertisement for products or services.
Offering a Way to Reject Future Messages – Commercial e-mail senders must provide easily-accessible, legitimate ways for recipients to reject future messages from that sender.
Return Address – All commercial e-mail, and e-mail considered transactional and relationship messages (about existing transactions), must contain legitimate return e-mail addresses, as well as the sender’s postal address.
Subject Lines – Commercial e-mail senders must use subject lines that are accurate. Using misleading or bogus subject lines to trick readers into opening messages is prohibited.
State Anti-Spam Laws
The CAN-SPAM Act is intended to preempt – or replace – state anti-spam laws, but states are allowed to enforce the parts of the CAN-SPAM Act restricting non-wireless SPAM. Also state laws prohibiting fraudulent or deceptive acts and computer crimes remain in effect. What to Do If You Receive an Unwanted Commercial Message on Your Cell Phone
You may file a complaint with the FCC if you receive:
an unwanted commercial message sent to a wireless device; or
a telephone solicitation made to a wireless device for which the phone number is registered on the National Do-Not-Call Registry; or
any autodialed text message on your wireless device, or an unwanted commercial message to a non-wireless device from a telecommunications company or advertising a telecommunications company’s products or services.
You may file a complaint with the FCC by e-mail (fccinfo@fcc.gov); the Internet (www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html); telephone 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice; or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY; or mail:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaint Division
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20554.
Include the following in your complaint:
your name, address, and daytime telephone number;
the telephone number or e-mail address at which you received an unsolicited commercial message or call, or an autodialed call;
as much specific information about the message as possible, including:
the date and time you received the message;
the identity of the company that sent the message to you;
the products or services that were promoted in the message;
the sender’s e-mail address and any other e-mail addresses, street addresses, or telephone numbers that may be referenced in the message;
a description of any contact you may have had with the entity that sent the message, including whether you have done business with that entity before receiving the message/call and any steps you may have taken to reject future messages.
What Should You Do About Commercial E-Mail You Receive on Non-Wireless Devices, Such as Your Computer at Home?
For commercial e-mail you receive on your non-wireless devices, you may file a complaint with the FTC. To file a complaint with the FTC or to get free information on e-mail issues in general, visit www.ftc.gov/spam or call 1-877-382-4357 voice; or 1-866-653-4261 TTY.
What Can I Do to Prevent SPAM to My Wireless Device in Particular and SPAM in General
You can reduce the amount of SPAM you receive by doing the following:
Put your wireless phone number on the Do-Not-Call Registry, and distribute it sparingly.
Don’t display your wireless phone number or e-mail address in public. This includes newsgroups, chat rooms, Web sites, or membership directories.
If you open an unwanted message, send a stop or opt out message in response.
Check the privacy policy when submitting your wireless phone number or e-mail address to any Web site. Find out if the policy allows the company to sell your information.
Contact your wireless service or Internet service provider about unwanted messages.
Before you transmit personal information through a Web site, make sure you read through and understand the entire transmitting form. Some Web sites allow you to opt out of receiving e-mail from partners – but you may have to uncheck a preselected box if you want to do so.
You may want to use two e-mail addresses – one for personal messages and one for newsgroups and chat rooms. Also, consider using a disposable e-mail address service that creates a separate e-mail address that forwards messages to your permanent account. If one of the disposable addresses starts to receive spam, you can turn it off without affecting your permanent address.
Try using a longer and unique e-mail address. Your choice of e-mail addresses may affect the amount of spam that you receive. A common name like “mjones” may get more spam that a more unique name like da110x110. Of course, it’s harder to remember an unusual e-mail address.
Use an e-mail filter. Some service providers offer a tool that filters out potential spam or channels spam into a bulk e-mail folder. You may also want to consider filtering capabilities when choosing which Internet Service Provider (ISP) to use.
Nigerian advance-fee fraud has been around for decades, but now seems to have reached epidemic proportions: Some consumers have told the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) they are receiving dozens of offers a day from supposed Nigerians politely promising big profits in exchange for help moving large sums of money out of their country. And apparently, many compassionate consumers are continuing to fall for the convincing sob stories, the unfailingly polite language, and the unequivocal promises of money. These advance-fee solicitations are scams. And according to the FTC, the scam artists are playing each and every consumer for a fool. Here’s the play book:
Claiming to be Nigerian officials, businesspeople or the surviving spouses of former government honchos, con artists offer to transfer millions of dollars into your bank account in exchange for a small fee. If you respond to the initial offer, you may receive “official looking” documents. Typically, you’re then asked to provide blank letterhead and your bank account numbers, as well as some money to cover transaction and transfer costs and attorney’s fees.
You may even be encouraged to travel to Nigeria or a border country to complete the transaction. Sometimes, the fraudsters will produce trunks of dyed or stamped money to verify their claims. Inevitably, though, emergencies come up, requiring more of your money and delaying the “transfer” of funds to your account; in the end, there aren’t any profits for you to share, and the scam artist has vanished with your money.
If You Receive an Offer
If you’re tempted to respond to an offer, the FTC suggests you stop and ask yourself two important questions: Why would a perfect stranger pick you – also a perfect stranger – to share a fortune with, and why would you share your personal or business information, including your bank account numbers or your company letterhead, with someone you don’t know? And the U.S. Department of State cautions against traveling to the destination mentioned in the letters. According to State Department reports, people who have responded to these “advance-fee” solicitations have been beaten, subjected to threats and extortion, and in some cases, murdered.
If you receive an offer via email from someone claiming to need your help getting money out of Nigeria – or any other country, for that matter – forward it to the FTC at spam@uce.gov.
If you have lost money to one of these schemes, call your local Secret Service field office. Local field offices are listed in the Blue Pages of your telephone directory.
For More Information
More information about Nigerian Advance-Fee Loan scams is available from the U.S. Secret Service (www.secretservice.gov/alert419.shtml) and the U.S. Department of State (www.state.gov/www/regions/africa/naffpub.pdf).
Email boxes are filling up with more offers for business opportunities than any other kind of unsolicited commercial email. That’s a problem, according to the Federal Trade Commission, because many of these offers are scams.
In response to requests from consumers, the FTC asked email users to forward their unsolicited commercial email to the agency for an inside look at the bulk email business. FTC staff found that more often than not, bulk email offers appeared to be fraudulent, and if pursued, could have ripped-off unsuspecting consumers to the tune of billions of dollars.
The Dirty Dozen:12 Scams Most Likely to Arrive Via Bulk Email
Here are 12 scams that are most likely to arrive in consumers’ email boxes. The “dirty dozen” are:
Business opportunities
These business opportunities make it sound easy to start a business that will bring lots of income without much work or cash outlay. The solicitations trumpet unbelievable earnings claims of $140 a day, $1,000 a day, or more, and claim that the business doesn’t involve selling, meetings, or personal contact with others, or that someone else will do all the work. Many business opportunity solicitations claim to offer a way to make money in an Internet-related business. Short on details but long on promises, these messages usually offer a telephone number to call for more information. In many cases, you’ll be told to leave your name and telephone number so that a salesperson can call you back with the sales pitch.
The scam: Many of these are illegal pyramid schemes masquerading as legitimate opportunities to earn money.
Bulk email
Bulk email solicitations offer to sell you lists of email addresses, by the millions, to which you can send your own bulk solicitations. Some offer software that automates the sending of email messages to thousands or millions of recipients. Others offer the service of sending bulk email solicitations on your behalf. Some of these offers say, or imply, that you can make a lot of money using this marketing method.
The problem: Sending bulk email violates the terms of service of most Internet service providers. If you use one of the automated email programs, your ISP may shut you down. In addition, inserting a false return address into your solicitations, as some of the automated programs allow you to do, may land you in legal hot water with the owner of the address’s domain name. Several states have laws regulating the sending of unsolicited commercial email, which you may unwittingly violate by sending bulk email. Few legitimate businesses, if any, engage in bulk email marketing for fear of offending potential customers.
Chain letters
You’re asked to send a small amount of money ($5 to $20) to each of four or five names on a list, replace one of the names on the list with your own, and then forward the revised message via bulk email. The letter may claim that the scheme is legal, that it’s been reviewed or approved by the government; or it may refer to sections of U.S. law that legitimize the scheme. Don’t believe it.
The scam: Chain letters-traditional or high-tech-are almost always illegal, and nearly all of the people who participate in them lose their money. The fact that a “product” such as a report on how to make money fast, a mailing list, or a recipe may be changing hands in the transaction does not change the legality of these schemes.
Work-at-home schemes
Envelope-stuffing solicitations promise steady income for minimal labor-for example, you’ll earn $2 each time you fold a brochure and seal it in an envelope. Craft assembly work schemes often require an investment of hundreds of dollars in equipment or supplies, and many hours of your time producing goods for a company that has promised to buy them.
The scam: You’ll pay a small fee to get started in the envelope-stuffing business. Then, you’ll learn that the email sender never had real employment to offer. Instead, you’ll get instructions on how to send the same envelope-stuffing ad in your own bulk emailings. If you earn any money, it will be from others who fall for the scheme you’re perpetuating. And after spending the money and putting in the time on the craft assembly work, you are likely to find promoters who refuse to pay you, claiming that your work isn’t up to their “quality standards.”
Health and diet scams
Pills that let you lose weight without exercising or changing your diet, herbal formulas that liquefy your fat cells so that they are absorbed by your body, and cures for impotence and hair loss are among the scams flooding email boxes.
The scam: These gimmicks don’t work. The fact is that successful weight loss requires a reduction in calories and an increase in physical activity. Beware of case histories from “cured” consumers claiming amazing results; testimonials from “famous” medical experts you’ve never heard of; claims that the product is available from only one source or for a limited time; and ads that use phrases like “scientific breakthrough,” “miraculous cure,” “exclusive product,” “secret formula,” and “ancient ingredient.”
Effortless income
The trendiest get-rich-quick schemes offer unlimited profits exchanging money on world currency markets; newsletters describing a variety of easy-money opportunities; the perfect sales letter; and the secret to making $4,000 in one day.
The scam: If these systems worked, wouldn’t everyone be using them? The thought of easy money may be appealing, but success generally requires hard work.
Free goods
Some email messages offer valuable goods-for example, computers, other electronic items, and long-distance phone cards-for free. You’re asked to pay a fee to join a club, then told that to earn the offered goods, you have to bring in a certain number of participants. You’re paying for the right to earn income by recruiting other participants, but your payoff is in goods, not money.
The scam: Most of these messages are covering up pyramid schemes, operations that inevitably collapse. Almost all of the payoff goes to the promoters and little or none to consumers who pay to participate.
Investment opportunities
Investment schemes promise outrageously high rates of return with no risk. One version seeks investors to help form an offshore bank. Others are vague about the nature of the investment, stressing the rates of return. Many are Ponzi schemes, in which early investors are paid off with money contributed by later investors. This makes the early investors believe that the system actually works, and encourages them to invest even more.
Promoters of fraudulent investments often operate a particular scam for a short time, quickly spend the money they take in, then close down before they can be detected. Often, they reopen under another name, selling another investment scam. In their sales pitch, they’ll say that they have high-level financial connections; that they’re privy to inside information; that they’ll guarantee the investment; or that they’ll buy back the investment after a certain time. To close the deal, they often serve up phony statistics, misrepresent the significance of a current event, or stress the unique quality of their offering-anything to deter you from verifying their story.
The scam: Ponzi schemes eventually collapse because there isn’t enough money coming in to continue simulating earnings. Other schemes are a good investment for the promoters, but no for participants.
Cable descrambler kits
For a small sum of money, you can buy a kit to assemble a cable descrambler that supposedly allows you to receive cable television transmissions without paying any subscription fee.
The scam: The device that you build probably won’t work. Most of the cable TV systems in the U.S. use technology that these devices can’t crack. What’s more, even if it worked, stealing service from a cable television company is illegal.
Guaranteed loans or credit, on easy terms
Some email messages offer home-equity loans that don’t require equity in your home, as well as solicitations for guaranteed, unsecured credit cards, regardless of your credit history. Usually, these are said to be offered by offshore banks. Sometimes they are combined with pyramid schemes, which offer you an opportunity to make money by attracting new participants to the scheme.
The scams: The home equity loans turn out to be useless lists of lenders who will turn you down if you don’t meet their qualifications. The promised credit cards never come through, and the pyramid money-making schemes always collapse.
Credit repair
Credit repair scams offer to erase accurate negative information from your credit file so you can qualify for a credit card, auto loan, home mortgage, or a job.
The scam: The scam artists who promote these services can’t deliver. Only time, a deliberate effort, and a personal debt repayment plan will improve your credit. The companies that advertise credit repair services appeal to consumers with poor credit histories. Not only can’t they provide you with a clean credit record, but they also may be encouraging you to violate federal law. If you follow their advice by lying on a loan or credit application, misrepresenting your Social Security number, or getting an Employer Identification Number from the Internal Revenue Service under false pretenses, you will be committing fraud.
Vacation prize promotions
Electronic certificates congratulating you on “winning” a fabulous vacation for a very attractive price are among the scams arriving in your email. Some say you have been “specially selected” for this opportunity.
The scam: Most unsolicited commercial email goes to thousands or millions of recipients at a time. Often, the cruise ship you’re booked on may look more like a tug boat. The hotel accommodations likely are shabby, and you may be required to pay more for an upgrade. Scheduling the vacation at the time you want it also may require an additional fee.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
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