I Hate Scammers
Scammers are Scum!
Toyota Prius Scam
Mar 9th
Looks like the California man claiming to have had his Toyota Prius accelerate out of control might be a scammer himself. The top speed of a Prius is 99 MPH. Why would it accelerate so fast, only to fall short of its top speed? Interesting article here at Cars.vc about the specs of the Toyota hybrid and questions this man’s legitimacy.
You never know these days, not all you see on TV is true. Hopefully a full investigation will reveal what really happened!
Watch New Moon Online… or Not?
Nov 28th
PC Tools has uncovered a new scam targeting people who wish to watch New Moon online for free. These scammers are Search Engine Optimization (SEO) experts and are targeting phrases such as “Watch New Moon Online”.
Visitors visit the site or forum in hopes to be able to watch New Moon online for free. The sites are well made and look legitimate. The user is prompted to download the special video player to watch new moon. Instead of a video player however, it is a malicious program.
It is recommended that you never download an executable file from a site you do not know. Many movie sites (Youtube.com for example) require no special software to view videos online.
Very sad to see many people falling for this scam. As of now, it is unknown what the malicious software does, but rest assured it cannot be good. This is another reason to spend a few dollars and watch the real movie. Taking shortcuts and trying to break the law could end up costing you your identity.
Teeth Whitening Scams
Nov 1st
The Better Business Bureau is warning against an array of online teeth whitening scams. The internet is being swamped with teeth whitening ads which promise a “free trial”. The problem is many of these companies are requiring your credit card number up front and charging for many things.
Many people who have signed up for these “free trials” are finding they were actually charged around $80 for the teeth whitening products. Other people are reporting multiple credit card charges, double billing, and being signed up for other random offers to which they did not intend to sign up for.
Just because it requires a credit card up front doesn’t mean it is a scam company. There are some legitamate teeth whitening products out there. Many of these scam sites however have been known to advertise on very popular websites and claim to have endorsements by news companies, TV shows, and more. Here is a list of some products and companies who have been receiving complaints:
- Dazzle White
- White Smile
- Teeth Smile
- Dazzle Smile
- Ivory White
- Ortho White
- Bella Brite
- Max White
- My Whitening
- Gleaming White Smile
It is recommended that you always read the fine print when you sign up for anything online, especially so called “free trials”. Many of the fine print on these websites will state you will be charged an outrageous amount of money for the free trial. Others make it very difficult if not impossible to return the product if dissatisfied. Always check with the BBB before purchasing a product to see if there are any complaints.
FDIC Download Scam
Oct 29th
Recieve an email from the FDIC lately? Chances are it was a plot to get you to download an unknown type of software. This software claims to allow users to check the current ammount of insured coverage with the FDIC.
Honestly, no one is sure what this software does. It might be a form of spyware, capturing keystrokes and account log-ins, or perhaps is is malicious in nature. The truth is no one is sure.
The phony email subject line is “Check your Bank Deposit Insurance Coverage”. The email contains multiple links that look like the FDIC website, but when a user clicks a hyperlink a program is prompted for download. Avoid this fake FDIC program by immediately deleting any suspicious emails without opening them or clicking the hyperlinks.
Frozen Chicken Scam
Oct 8th
A man from Louisianna has been sentenced to 7 years in prison. His crime? Selling the Egyptian government an estimated 7 million dollars worth of frozen chicken which he never delivered.
Egypt was to purchase 5,000 tons of chicken from Alexander Legault. Alex has plead guilty and will serve his time in jail and be charged a $15,000 fine.
It is great he is convicted… but trading up 7 years in jail for 7 million dollars… is it worth it?
Veteran Prescription Co-Pay Scam
Oct 7th
A new scam is targeting veterans and war heroes. They served in WWII, Vietnam, Korea, The War On Terror, and now they have to watch themselves in their own household.
The scam works by the Veteran recieving a phone call by someone claiming to be from the Veteran’s Affairs office. The scammer informs the veteran there is a new policy with the prescription drug coverage. The scammer collects some personal information about the Veteran and then steals the co-payments for the prescription drug coverage.
The VA does not collect information in this manner. If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be the VA and continues to ask you personal questions, the best thing to do is hang up. Never give your Social Security, checking account number, or other identifiable information to someone who you don’t know who they are.
