The Top Five E-Mail Scams
Usually, scammers attempt to trick you into filling out forms on rogue sites. Rogue sites usually look legitimate (some are even replicas of legitimate sites you trust), but they are set up to spread a virus, collect names for spammers or grab your personal information. Other scams try to get you to reply to e-mails requesting your personal data like passwords and bank account numbers. Once you've given up the info, criminals can siphon your cash, make purchases and get out before you even have a chance to track them down.
To get you the best advice possible on each scam, we talked to Carol McKay of the National Consumers League. She offers up some tips you literally can't afford to miss.
Scam #1: Investment Pump & Dump
The Come-On
Everyone wants to be in on the ground floor when it comes to investing, so it's no surprise that millions of people go for this one: You receive an e-mail from someone claiming to be a power broker containing a hot tip on a penny stock that promises to double, even triple, in short time. So you go for it, only to see it tumble within hours. One such e-mail we received just this week looks like this:
Subject: Your 221.43% - breaking results
DarkLord: DWPI Hits The Street, Price Climbs 221.43%
Distributed Power Inc.
Symbol: DPWI Price: $0.40 (+0.31)
News hits the streets!!! DPWI acquires huge oil reserves, drills deeper on current wells increasing production, and now opens Asian division. Investors go nuts today and price rockets 221.43%. Act fast, read the news and get on DPWI first thing Tuesday!
The Scam
Turns out the people who send you the e-mail in the first place are waiting for a few people like you to get the stock up so they can get out before you even have a chance.
What You Can Do
Carol says: "Legitimate investments are risky, and legitimate brokers will admit that to customers. Be especially wary of offers that arrive via e-mail, offshore investments or commodities, and high-pressure sales tactics. And, if you can't afford to lose all your money, don't invest any of it."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
LeRoy said 2:35AM on 4-12-2008
Hey AOL is not the only one that hosts those scammers. I get at least 60% through Yahoo. I think Yahoo is somehow linked to those selling lists. As for "Re:subject" I know how that is done but I will not reveal the tip because it is illegal.
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Don said 4:16PM on 6-23-2008
I use pay pal when using my credit card when doing business for my website http://www.donaldsmoneysite.com
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Cindy said 10:00PM on 6-23-2008
First I say to most of you....GET SPELL CHECK add a ton of credibility to your comments.
Also; anyone out there that thinks for one second that making money or getting "inside information" is going to get them there remember the one golden rule.....IF IT SOUNDS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT IS. NOT probably....IT IS!
Get a grip people. Only hard work, diligence with a splash of luck are going to get anyone anywhere.
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Senile Citizen said 12:15AM on 6-24-2008
As soon as we make internet scammers elgible for the death penalty the sooner the problem will go away.
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Tom said 12:32AM on 6-24-2008
For the BEST IDENTITY THEFT service visit tomstark.net
CALL 1-877-214-2422 for your FREE DVD ! Have a great day!
teamfreedom413@aol.com
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John said 10:06PM on 10-10-2008
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Mike said 7:21AM on 4-26-2007
Agreed,
No doubt about it, most people have been primed over the years to think that there are people with inside stock tips, and the email blasts utilizing greed motivation is no different than the tip from the stranger on the street. There are always people who will believe anything, and the success of this scheme proves that greedy people still will bite on these scams, especially with the ease in which one can trade online these days.
Never trade on any tip, period, even one from your broter in law and you will save your time money and the disappointment of loss. As to the article indicating offshore investments as a scam, this I take point on. Offshore investments are just as legitimate as any other countries investment opportunities, just do your own due diligence, but don't label offshore as a scam, only people are scammers, not countries.
www.Iraqi-Investments.com
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John Huckleberry said 7:13AM on 4-26-2007
Right now I have an email scammer-spammer-hacker sending out my name and address in the subject matter in bulk emails. I tracked him and his wife down after going thru a few web domain whois look ups to finally find he has an AOL email address for the master reseller account he works his scams thru. I contacted them (the hacker-spammer) thinking I'll get a reply stating they were hacked. BUT NO, He stated he had every right to be using anyones name and address in his bulk email scams. I informed AOL by forwarding his statements made on a AOL email account, proof he owns the domains sending them and he STILL has an AOL. If AOL really cared about members they would close his account which would make his Whois information invalid. Closing down his scams. Yet AOL doesn't close his account... AOL shut down account Kylerrk. Or at least send him a email pretending to be another member he is hacking-spamming and watch his replies. Protect your members AOL before you're a ghost town on the net. mho.
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Ira Rhodes said 6:39AM on 4-29-2007
I received an email from Liang Ho in China that he had customers in the United States who owed him money. They would pay me and I would collect 10% and send him the rest. I got a email from him saying one of his clients sent me a"...cheque for the sum of $48,600.50 being instalmental payment for goods..." He is demanding his part of the money. Of course, I have not received a check (cheque), but he is demanding his money.
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Ray Sutton said 8:36AM on 4-26-2007
You forgot to mention one other really bad scam. The one where they offer you a part time job to collect funds from their clients and cash the bogus checks and money orders and send them the cash via Western Union. This one is particularly dirty and can get you into a lot of trouble with the law and the banks and the postal service.
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DAVID WELLS said 7:59AM on 4-26-2007
JUST CURIOUS
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gary said 8:25AM on 4-26-2007
Some call in naive, I call it stupid. If you believe that there are people out there spending their precious time and money for your benefit without never seeing you, you deserve to be scammed. How many our close relatives or friends just give you a $50000 out of the goodness of their heart? And you expect a stranger do it? Same yourself time - delete button or trash can is the only destunations for such scams. I read them once in a while for entertainment, but this is about it.
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aol person said 8:28AM on 4-26-2007
It would be nice if AOL would do something about the beg-for-cash scammers, like the cyber beggars with their sob stories. These are the guys that nickel and dime many people at one time, and they NEVER repay what they owe. I know of an on-going situation with an individual that has over several years bilked money from an certain online community with his tales of woe and tantrums for money. When pressed to repay, he flies into rages; threatening, harassing, and intimidating. All the while, this non-human lives comfortably with it's parents.
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sarabrb7 said 8:29AM on 4-26-2007
I totally agree with Gary.
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gary said 8:39AM on 4-26-2007
Complain to FCC and , if this does not work, to your congressman or senator.
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html
FCC regulates companies like AOL. AOL will have to respond, then you will know if this is legal or not. If this is really legal, which I doubt, complain to congressman. This is why we pay taxes.
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Dave Egeland said 8:43AM on 4-26-2007
I,too, sometimes read these scams for informative/entertainment(?) purposes. But AOL is actually in violation of its own rules, local, state, federal, and international laws by FASCILITATING these audacious endeavors against our citizens and AOL members around the world. What, do we have to sue them in federal court, thus smearing AOL's name and causing them harm, or will one--JUST ONE--of their employees actually read this, investigate the matter and what can be done, and then correct this long-running problem??? Come on AOL, get a freakin' clue. You get so much right that it boggles the mind how badly you are disrespecting your power base--your only means of support--with no end in sight! Disgusted in central Missouri, SHOW ME, DAMN IT! Dave Egeland (choicerelics@aol.com)
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tanya said 8:48AM on 4-26-2007
i think when these people are cought sending things to steal money from you or what have you , time to cut off there hand and start teaching scamers a lesson and others before they think of pulling something like this !
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Ted said 9:00AM on 4-26-2007
Yep they even send checks that look real, buit don't deposit it!! it will bounce,and you will be left with the over draft fee's, and out the money the want you to send them so you can pay your so called tax on your winning lotto tickect you never even knew you had. lol more scams coming to your email soon.
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Dave Egeland said 8:51AM on 4-26-2007
Here's a NEW scam we can run! Let's send-out e-mails to THE ENTIRE WORLD, saying we are in a position of power to end the Iraq/Iran/Afghanistan/Palestininian/N.Korean/Columbian and all other international conflicts by next week. All we need is $1 from EVERYBODY online to buy these people out of power and put our own people in. I'll bet we get not one red freakin' cent. Why? 'Cause folks really don't give a damn unless it affects their daily routine. Folks care, but not to the extent that it COSTS money. Why do we have churches anymore, if this is the case???
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Jenny said 8:54AM on 4-26-2007
You can usually see these scam coming. Just use common sense and know that "If it sounds to good to be true, it usually is!" And don't let greed get you in trouble!
Jenny
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