Why so many scams? Because they work!
“Why do I keep getting these e-mails from Nigeria, Albania and Romania, asking me to help move money out of the country?”
“I continue to receive phishing e-mails from Visa, PayPal and a bank I don’t even know asking for my personal information. Everyone knows it’s a scam.”
“I got another one of these fake checks in the mail telling me to cash it, keep some for myself, and forward the rest to a place I don’t even know how to pronounce. How could anyone believe something like this is for real?”
“This letter looks so official. Are you sure I didn’t win the Canadian Lottery?”
This is a sample of the questions I get on Monday mornings after this column runs. The next question always seems to be, “So, why are they still doing it?”
Very easy answer: because such scams work. These flat-out “sucker” incidents are among my consumer pet peeves; I can’t believe people continue to fall for them.
So, one last time (until next time) here is my list of things nobody should ever get tangled up in:
“Foreign lottery scams
The first question to ask is, did you ever enter the Botswana Lottery? You didn’t? Well then, winning is probably highly unlikely. It is illegal to transport lottery tickets across international boundaries, so your chance of buying one from a country you have never visited is a bit suspect, wouldn’t you say?
“Obscure e-mail requests
If your account has been compromised, do you really think Wells Fargo or Chase Bank is going to send you an e-mail asking for your help? Better yet, do you think they are going to ask you to re-enter your account information? (Logic dictates, if anyone has it, they do, right?) If you ever question the legitimacy of an e-mail offer, go to your Web browser and use a search engine to find the site in question. Often you will see a “phishing scam” warning during your search.
“Sweepstakes offers
Yes, you are guaranteed to win! NOT. Games of chance that require you to make a purchase, buy magazines or otherwise send money are best avoided.
“Telemarketing prize promoters and charitable pleas
If you ever question a charitable donation plea call, ask them to send you written information, and only then will you make a decision. Most times, you will not see anything arrive in your mailbox. Better yet, if they hesitate or flat out don’t want to send you any information about their cause, then consider it a huge red flag and tell them to take you off their calling list.
“Car break-ins and what they got away with
Business owners, do you know where your laptops are? Have you ever wondered why bank robberies are down? Why is there so much broken car window glass in parking lots and on the streets?
How many more times do you need to be warned not to leave anything of value in your car? I guess at least once more.
A couple of things on car break-ins:
Doing a smash and grab on your car and getting a checkbook, and/or credit card or two is often a lot more profitable than robbing a bank. As well, the penalties are a whole lot less. Yes, thieves are smarter than we give them credit for.
If your car is in a movie theater or fitness club parking lot, I can predict that you’ll be gone for at least an hour. So, while you didn’t leave a purse or wallet, you still left electronic items, your kid’s backpack or that Nordstrom bag — all of which are just as enticing.
About a month ago, I heard the story of a local businessman who left his laptop, briefcase and passport in his car only to find them gone when he returned. ID Theft heaven, right here in Spokane. More than 80 percent of such events are directly linked to meth and other drug activities.
Bottom line? If you don’t want it stolen, don’t leave it in your car.