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Truth About Avoiding Scams, The

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Truth About Avoiding Scams, The

Book

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About

Features

Phishing, vishing, pharming, slamming, cramming. Learn secrets of scams, how to recognize them, and how to avoid them.

  • Protect your money and financial security. This is the anti-scam book for everyone: young or old, rich or poor!
  • Covers frauds targeted at telephones, taxes, travel, health care, and even today's new Patriot Act scams.
  • Discover how computers and technology are increasingly being used to create new, more clever and sophisticated ways of making scams appear legitimate.
  • Description

    • Copyright 2008
    • Dimensions: 5-7/16" x 8-1/2"
    • Pages: 224
    • Edition: 1st
    • Book
    • ISBN-10: 0-13-233385-6
    • ISBN-13: 978-0-13-233385-6

    "You should read this book and take Steve Weisman's advice. And from the money and assets he helps you protect, take a few dollars and buy a copy for a good friend."

    --Alan Colmes, Syndicated radio talk show host and co-host of Hannity and Colmes on Fox News Channel

      

    Scams are everywhere...now discover exactly how to protect yourself!

    ·        The truth about recognizing today’s newest scams--online and off

    ·        The truth about safeguarding your money, health, and reputation

    ·        The truth about phishing, vishing, pharming, slamming, and more

    Scams have always been with us, and they always will be - except now, technology makes scammers' jobs even easier, enabling them to reach out from anywhere around the world, and take advantage of more people than ever before. No matter how smart you think you are, you can easily become a victim: in fact, scammers have discovered that educated, sophisticated individuals are among their best targets. The Truth About Avoiding Scams arms you with everything you need to protect yourself: real, up-to-the-minute knowledge, and the "internal sensors" you need to sniff out even the subtlest, most well-crafted scams. Consumer finance expert and nationally syndicated radio host Steve Weisman offers quick, bite-size, just-the-facts information about every type of fraud, from identity scams to computer-based fraud, travel and health scams to phony educational loans and scholarships. Weisman exposes the new epidemic of "affinity fraud," where "people just like you" target you based on your ethnicity, racial group, church, club, or fraternal organization. You'll find up-to-the-minute guidance on avoiding illegitimate online dating services; "cramming" and other phone frauds; tax and Social Security scams; employment, home repair, and investment scams; and a whole lot more.

    Unlike some books on scams, this one's simple to read, simple to use, up to date, and complete: the only guide you need to keep yourself safe!

    Sample Content

    Online Sample Chapter

    Lottery and Contest Scams

    Table of Contents

    Introduction  ix

    Part I               The Truth About Identity Theft  1

    Truth 1             Identity theft  1

    Truth 2             Go phish  5

    Truth 3             Vishing down on the pharm  9

    Truth 4             Do Not Call Registry, Patriot Act scams  13

    Truth 5             Protect yourself from identity theft  15

    Part II              The Truth About Computer Scams  19

    Truth 6             Trojan horse  19

    Truth 7             PayPal, eBay  21

    Truth 8             Second chances–eBay  23

    Truth 9             Free adult entertainment  25

    Truth 10           Two more for the road  27

    Part III             The Truth About Classic Scams  29

    Truth 11           Ponzi scheme  29

    Truth 12           Chain letters  33

    Truth 13           A couple of the basics  37

    Truth 14           Nigerian scam  41

    Truth 15           Who knew? A flurry of old champs  45

    Truth 16           More reasons to be wary  49

    Truth 17           And you thought you’d heard it all  53

    Truth 18           Money lost, borrowed, or gambled  57

    Truth 19           Lottery and contest scams  61

    Part IV             The Truth About Getting Personal  65

    Truth 20           Exercise scams  65

    Truth 21           Weight loss scams  67

    Truth 22           The CIA medical scam  71

    Truth 23           Education scams  73

    Truth 24           Romance scams  77

    Truth 25           Rental care insurance  81

    Truth 26           Personal information privacy  83

    Part V              The Truth About Telephone Scams  87

    Truth 27           Cramming  87

    Truth 28           900 numbers  89

    Truth 29           Phony caller ID  93

    Truth 30           Area code 809  95

    Part VI             The Truth About Tax Scams  97

    Truth 31           Fear and loathing of the IRS  97

    Truth 32           More tax scams  101

    Truth 33           It just doesn’t stop  105

    Part VII            The Truth About Government Assistance  109

    Truth 34           Social Security   109

    Truth 35           Medicare  113

    Truth 36           Veteran scams  115

    Part VIII           The Truth About Credit Card Scams  119

    Truth 37           Credit cards  119

    Truth 38           More credit card offers  123

    Truth 39           Skimmers and ATM scams  127

    Truth 40           Free credit report  133

    Truth 41           Credit repair services  139

    Truth 42           Credit counseling agencies  143

    Truth 43           Credit card rate reduction scam  147

    Truth 44           Advance fee credit cards  149

    Truth 45           Credit card alarms in the night  153

    Part IX            The Truth About Employment Scams  155

    Truth 46           Work-at-home schemes  155

    Truth 47           Easy money  159

    Truth 48           More wrong turns  161

    Truth 49           Cruise ship employment scam  165

    Truth 50           Get a job online scams  167

    Part X             The Truth About Home Scams  169

    Truth 51           Home sweet scam  169

    Truth 52           Variations on a theme  173

    Part XI            The Truth About Investment Scams  177

    Truth 53           Stock scams  177

    Truth 54           More investment scams  181

    Truth 55           Unusual investment opportunities  185

    Truth 56           Fees in legitimate investments  189

    Truth 57           Free financial seminars  195

    Part XII           The Truth About Solutions  197

    Truth 58           Some solutions  197

    Truth 59           Keeping your computer secure  199

    Truth 60           Wi-Fi  205

    Truth 61           Due diligence  207

    About the Author  210

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