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An Email with the Subject "Scamdex, Internet Scambusters Newsletter #296, 8-13-08" was received in one of Scamdex's honeypot email accounts on Wed, 13 Aug 2008 01:17:51 -0700 and has been classified as a Generic Scam Email. The sender shows as "Scambusters Editors" <reply@scambusters.org>.
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<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<> Internet Scambusters (tm) The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud http://www.scambusters.org By Scambusters Audri, Jim and Pete Issue #296 August 13, 2008 <>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<> Note 1: Easily change your subscription information by clicking the link at the very bottom of this newsletter. Note 2: Please share this newsletter with 3 or 4 of your friends or colleagues who you think will benefit from it. Hi Scamdex, Two more Snippets for you today: - Beware this "Neighborly" Charity Fraud - Credit Card Thieves Target Gyms and Sports Facilities. However, we think you'll like visiting this week's issue of Scamlines -- What's New in Scams? -- first. http://www.scambusters.org/scamlines/21.html And before we begin, we encourage you to take a look at this week's most popular articles from our other sites: Answers to 7 of the Biggest Questions About Outdoor and Stock Photography: An Interview With Charlie Borland http://www.7photographyquestions.com/audio-podcast/ Take the Identity Theft Challenge http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/how_much_do_you_really_know_about_identity_theft.html The Internet: The Bargain Hunter's Shopping Paradise http://www.consumersavvytips.org/the_internet_the_bargain_hunters_shopping_paradise.html Saving Money Needs To Become a Priority Once Again http://www.consumertipsreports.org/saving_money_the_oldfashioned_way.html Let's get started... <>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<> Beware this "Neighborly" Charity Fraud <>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<> Charity fraud come in many guises, and clever scammers are constantly inventing new "twists" on old routines. They also know that certain scams are harder to resist. After all, it's one thing to screen telemarketers, delete suspicious emails and toss out junk mail, but quite another to refuse appeals from wide-eyed students "raising money for sick children." And it's even harder to turn down a "student" who's one of your neighbors, right? We recently learned of instances where "college students" went door-to-door, soliciting money for a legitimate-sounding charity. The scammers introduced themselves as a "neighbor" (obviously, this works best in larger neighborhoods) and convinced victims to buy magazines or books for children suffering from one of several diseases. The alleged scammers even showed victims glossy brochures featuring different magazine and book titles, and then asked the person to donate some to the sick children. In one neighborhood, some of those targeted only became suspicious when they later compared notes, and realized that: -- The people selling the books and magazines didn't actually live in the neighborhood. -- Some victims were asked to make out their checks to the salesperson, not the charity. -- Some victims were shown photocopies of sales brochures; others actual brochures. We can't be sure, but it's possible that scammers got their hands on the materials and receipts of a legitimate charity and/or photocopied them. The scammers may even have been approached by the legitimate fundraisers earlier, and then decided to sign up as "salespeople," keeping the money for themselves. Whatever the case, please follow the tips below to avoid being ripped off by charity fraud. 1. Get the name, address and phone number of the organization. Also, ask if it's registered. If the solicitor claims that it is, get the registration number. The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance offers information about national charities on their website. http://www.give.org 2. Verify with the office of the real charity that there is indeed a door-to-door campaign going on, and the person at your door is actually a representative. If you're shy about verifying this information in the rep's presence, ask him to return later, and then place the call. 3. Never pay cash, and always make out your check to the charity, not to the person who knocked on your door. You can find more information on avoiding charity scams here: http://www.scambusters.org/charity.html <>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<> Credit Card Thieves Target Gyms and Sports Facilities <>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<> According to a report in the AARP Bulletin, more and more thieves are "working out at the gym" -- working out ways to steal your credit cards, that is. Specifically, thieves are keeping tabs on the parking lots of fitness clubs and sporting facilities, breaking into patrons' cars to steal credit cards left in glove compartments or hidden underneath seats or towels. Criminals are targeting these places, say law enforcement officials, because they know that: (1) Many people are afraid to leave valuables in gym lockers. (2) Victims will probably be away for one or two hours, leaving the crooks ample time to steal the credit cards AND use them to quickly purchase goods and services. In a number of cases, thieves were able to steal credit cards and make thousands of dollars worth of purchases in less than 90 minutes -- often to buy computers and other high-end electronics. To protect yourself, be sure you: -- Always lock your car (you'd be surprised how many people don't). -- Never leave valuables in your car, regardless of how well hidden you think they are. -- Leave credit cards at home unless absolutely necessary. Don't carry credit cards you won't be using. You can find tips on what to do if your wallet or credit card is stolen here: http://www.scambusters.org/creditcard.html These simple tips will help you avoid both charity fraud and credit card thieves. Time to conclude for today -- have a great week! - Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep Scambusters Free - - - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - - ----------==========**********O**********==========---------- "Finally...You Can Pay Off ALL Your Debts, Including Your Mortgage, In Less Than 10 Years...Even If You Just Got Your Mortgage Yesterday...AND the More Debts You Have the Better!" ...Without having to 'pinch pennies,' get a second job or cut back on your spending in any way -- and still become debt-free! Did you know that trying to pay off your high interest rate debts first and/or paying extra on more than one debt can be the SLOWEST way to get out of debt? "How To Own Your Paycheck Again!" reveals everything you need to know to pay off those debts in the shortest possible time. And the really amazing part is... if you can pay all your bills on time now, the more debts you have the better! I know it sounds crazy but the author of this program, Leo Quinn, has been teaching this method for almost 10 years and he's got the feedback from students to back it up. We met him a couple of months ago at a conference, and he clearly knows his stuff. In fact, here's what fellow Scambusters subscriber Tom Dooley has to say: "Once I read your debt reduction concept, I threw the data into an Excel file, and found that you are correct. I could retire my debt in less than ten years with your program and some monetary discipline. ...I have been trying to pay off the high interest stuff first, but not making any headway. "This is highly embarrassing, as I am a data manager by day, and ought to have figured it out myself. I was hesitant to try your program because it seemed like 'pie in the sky.' I'm glad I did!" - Tom Dooley, Wallingford, PA Leo has even agreed to give Scambusters subscribers an extra special discount. Discover the full story now at: http://scambusters.org/a/leoquinn.html ----------==========**********O**********==========---------- ----------==========**********O**********==========---------- 101 Mouthwatering Cholesterol Lowering Recipes Anyone trying to lower their cholesterol knows the first thing any doctor will tell you is "watch what you eat." But low and no-cholesterol foods won't do much to force your cholesterol lower. That's why you need to eat cholesterol-lowering foods as well. They trigger your body's "cholesterol furnace," driving your cholesterol level down naturally. Dr. Chris Hart and Amy Carey have just published a collection of 101 cholesterol lowering recipes that combine low-cholesterol and cholesterol-lowering foods to help you drop your cholesterol level quickly, easily and naturally. Best of all they taste great, too! And, you'll find special bonuses to help you make any holiday meal healthier... without sacrificing the taste. Discover more about this unique collection of cholesterol lowering recipes here: http://scambusters.org/a/cholesterolrecipes.html ----------==========**********O**********==========---------- ----------==========**********O**********==========---------- How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be... Rather than just dreaming about making your dreams come true, why not actually make your dreams happen? In fact, it can be fairly simple -- much easier than you ever imagined! How? By following the little-known steps outlined in an outstanding and innovative recent book. Here are just two of the initial rave reviews -- read them carefully if you would like to go from where you are now to where you want to be: "All I had when I started in the film business was a dream, but a dream without a plan gets you nowhere. That's where Pam comes in. Her new ebook shows you exactly what steps you need to take to identify and to live your dreams. "If you are ready to make the most of your life, and really want to live your dreams (and become a millionaire in the process), Pam's the one to help you do it!" --J. Hill, Producer, Director, Writer, Hollywood, CA ~~~ "I've been a financial consultant for over twenty years, and I have helped lots of people make lots of money. I've never seen a better overall plan for personal and professional success than 'Turning Dreams Into Dollars: 5 Steps to Becoming a Self-Made Millionaire.' "In my business, clients would pay thousands of dollars for this type of information, and, believe me, it's really worth millions." --B. Duncan, Financial Consultant, Las Vegas, NV Visit now to find out how you can make YOUR dreams come true... http://scambusters.org/a/wealth.html ----------==========**********O**********==========---------- ===== About Internet Scambusters - Administrivia Copyright (c) Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved. To subscribe, visit: http://www.scambusters.org/ To remove yourself or change address options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?TAwMjEyctMzsDKyMjAystEa0zGwsbIxsbA== (you might have to copy and paste it into your browser) This will take you off the Scambusters list. To send us feedback, do NOT click 'Reply.' Instead, please use our Feedback Form located at: http://www.scambusters.org/feedback.html The information we have on file is: Your name: Scamdex Your email: mark@scamdex.com Please do not send vacation notices or other autoresponders to us. This may take you off the Scambusters list. Scambusters is a public service from Jim and Audri Lanford. Since Scambusters is a public service and we receive thousands of emails, we cannot answer individual emails. For more about our privacy and legal policy, see http://www.scambusters.org/privacy.html Lanford Inc. 197 New Market Center, #115 Boone, NC 28607 To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?TAwMjEyctMzsDKyMjAystEa0zGwsbIxsbA==