Other Scams to Watch Out For

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Besides phishing, various other scams also arrive in your inbox. Here are brief descriptions of some of the most common.

The "Nigerian" Scam also called "Advance Fee" Scam

The email is requesting help to get large sums of money out of a foreign country. They promise you big profits in exchange for your help. Before you receive any money, you'll have to provide money to cover transaction and transfer costs and attorney fees plus you'll need to provide them with your bank account numbers. The "Nigerian" Scam: Costly Compassion from the FTC has more information.

Advance-Fee Loan Scam

These emails promise that a loan or credit will be approved even if you've been turned down many times already. But in order to get this loan you have to pay a fee. Advance-Fee Loan Scams: 'Easy' Cash Offers Teach Hard Lessons from the FTC has more information.

Work-at-Home Scams

These emails promise a steady income with just a little work in your spare time. Common schemes are envelope stuffing, email processing, assembly or craft work, and medical billing. You may have to pay a "fee" for materials, instructions, or equipment. Fall for any of these offers and you'll probably be out money instead of earning any. The FTC Business Opportunities site has information about how to spot, stop and avoid some common business opportunity scams (including work-at-home scams).

Foreign Lotteries

These emails either promise great odds or indicate that you've won money in a lottery in another country. You will have to pay to get your prize or collect your winnings. International Lottery Scams from the FTC has more details.

Check Overpayment Scams

Someone responds to your ad or online auction posting, offering to buy your item. The catch is that for some reason, the check you'll receive is for more than the purchase price. They want you to wire them back the difference. Check Overpayment Scams: Seller Beware and Be Suspicious About Wiring Money Back After Cashing a Check from the FTC have more information.

Counterfeit Check Scams

These scams are another version of the Nigerian or advance fee scam. The StraightTalk Report Fake Check Scams are Targeting Your Wallet—Learn the Warning Signs and Avoid the Traps describes ways to avoid these scams.

These sites describe these and other scams.

• OnGuard Online: Spam Scams has more detail about spam scams and links to other resources.
• LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com describes these and many other scams on their fraud page.

Test your scam knowledge with the quiz: Spam Scam Slam — Don't be Fooled. It's from OnGuard Online.

This handout for Remar Sutton's Privacy seminars was prepared by Remar Sutton, CCU's StraightTalk spokesperson & Remar Sutton & Associates, for Corning StraightTalk, October 2006. All rights reserved.