Internet Scams
Question and answers from Ask MSN

Reprinted with Permission
Copyright 2000 Microsoft Corporation

                    Dear MSN,
                    I received an e-mail instructing me to go to a
                    Web page and provide my credit card number
                    to pay an overdue invoice. Is this legit?
                    --Skeptical in Scottsdale

                    Dear Skeptical,

                    Some folks have compared the Internet to the Wild
                    West -- bold new frontiers to explore, mavericks
                    with new ideas staking their claims and scads of
                    scam artists taking advantage of the unwary. Your
                    skepticism of the message you received is
                    warranted and not replying to its come-on was a
                    good move on your part.

                    There are numerous Internet scams and e-mail
                    hoaxes in circulation -- some are relatively
                    harmless, like well-meaning petitions that don't
                    accomplish anything except take up space in e-mail
                    in-boxes. Others are just plain ludicrous, like the
                    perennial "Send this e-mail to all your friends so
                    Microsoft/Walt Disney/America Online can track
                    addresses and pay you $$ for each address" message.
                    We've all seen "WORK FROM HOME AND MAKE BIG
                    $$$!!!" (The senders of these e-mails assume we
                    won't take them seriously unless they type with the
                    CAPS LOCK on.) The most devious breed of 'Net
                    scams are those that try to fleece you via your
                    credit card.

                    Exploring all that the Internet has to offer can be
                    great fun, but it pays to have some "street smarts"
                    when you surf. Here are some rules for the wise:

                       1.Be careful about giving out financial or
                         personal information. Don't provide bank
                         account numbers, credit card numbers,
                         social security number or other personal
                         information unless you know the company is
                         legitimate and the information is necessary
                         for the transaction.

                       2.Do business with companies you know
                         and trust. Be sure you know who the
                         company is and where it is physically
                         located. For example, resolving problems
                         with businesses in another part of the world
                         can be complicated by long-distance or
                         cross-border transactions.

                       3.Don't judge reliability by appearances.
                         Anyone can create, register and promote a
                         Web site; it's relatively easy and inexpensive
                         to make slick-looking Web pages.

                       4.Be cautious of any company that asks
                         for money to make money (such as fees
                         for registration, materials or instructions).

                       5.Be wary of bulk e-mail or spam
                         solicitations. Before you reply to that offer
                         that sounds too good to be true, check out
                         the Federal Trade Commission's "Dirty
                    Dozen" list of well-known e-mail scams.

                       6.Resist the urge to forward online
                         petitions and other e-mail hoaxes.
                         These messages would be harmless if these
                         they weren't so long (with all the headers
                         from multiple recipients) and end up hogging
                         space on mail servers and networks
                         everywhere. Every time you forward a
                         message like this, you're creating a 'net
                         "traffic jam," much like rubber-necking on
                         the freeway. Don't send them, delete them.

                       7.Learn the truth about urban legends.
                         Truth is stranger than fiction, but urban
                         legends are an in-box nuisance. Read the
                         real deal about kidney transfers and false
                         FCC charges for Internet use here.

                       8.Research current scams on Scamwatch,
                    ScamBusters.

                       9.Suckered by a scam? Don't suffer in
                         silence! Report the offender to the Federal
                    Trade Commission, the Better Business
                    Bureau.

---End of MSN Information---

MORE SCAM INFORMATION...

Build a web site, and make $2500.00 a day! We do all the work, you make all the money!
Make money by tying your web site into eBay!  Accept Credit Cards on your "very own" web site!

Need I go on? The past few years have seen quite a few online scam artists come out of the woodwork, ready to help relieve you of your cash.  Most of them you will see on Infomercials, touting their "instant internet web site to riches" such as Internet Treasure Chest.

Rather than go into a long discussion here, Chatmag has found a good Message Board for the "get rich quick" questions you may have on a particular potential business venture.

Click Here to go to Klaus Dahl's site. You will find a lot of message threads on your favorite scammer, and feel free to post to the list with any questions you may have on any company,
BEFORE you invest a dime! You don't need Ms. Cleo to tell you to be careful :)

For more Scam information, please see our Scams Page.

If you sincerly want to make money on the Internet, email us for information, we're looking for a few good advertising sales people.

Or if you just want more help in researching a company, feel free to contact us.