VIN cloning scams- According to Consumer Reports.. this is when crooks steal a car then copy the vehicle identification number from another car that is the same make, model, color and year. they forge the registration documents then sell the car to you at a great price. when your insurance company or the state motor vehicle department discovers the car is stolen... you end up without your car and the money you paid for it. if something is too good to be true... walk away...
Bogus tech support scams- You may get a phone call or email claiming that you have a virus... the crook may even install software.. but instead of fixing the fake problem, your personal information is stolen.
Store Gift Card scams- Criminals claim to be calling from a local store to say you've won a one hundred dollar gift card that you have to go to the store to pick up... the trick is to get you out of the house long enough so that robbers can get your goods while you are gone.
Online survey scams- the goal is to get you to give out personal information. use caution when granting access to your profile.... and consumer reports says think before you hit the like button.
Medical discount plan scams- Its really a discount card that costs an enrollment fee plus monthly fees... the FTC has taken action against more than 50 of them because when sick patients try to use the card many places do not accept it.
Tax return scams- Crooks use your identity to claim a tax refund and you don't have money coming to you they lie on your return to get a refund. if you think that you could be a victim contact the irs identity protection specialized unit at 1-800-908-4490. you may want to also contact the social security administration to protect your benefits.
There are a number of organizations you can contact if you have questions about scams: the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov), the FBI (www.fbi.gov), the IRS (www.irs.gov) even the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org).
On Your Side: Top six scams to avoid
