Have you gotten a call, e-mail, or been approached by someone who wants to offer you a great deal at a price that seems too good to be true? Well, don’t fall for it. When the economy gets tough, scams tend to increase, and scam artists know that people are more vulnerable to accepting offers that promise to save them a few bucks, get them out of debt, or get them help in obtaining credit.
However, the good news is, consumers have gotten much better at spotting and reporting these scams, and this has allowed consumer groups to issue scam alerts much more quickly. If you are contacted by someone with an offer that seems questionable, here are a few things that you can do:
• Look for fine print or hidden information, listen carefully to the pitch and ask questions
• Before you pay or release personal information, check things out. If you cannot get answers to your questions from a legitimate source or the offer seems complicated or vague, think twice before moving forward.
• Check credit card and bank statements thoroughly to be sure that you are not being charged for something that you did not buy.
• Report suspicious activity to authorities and consumer agencies right away. The sooner you report the problem, the more likely that consumer groups can get the word out about the scam so that others do not fall victim.
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