The IRS Scam

If you get an e-mail from the IRS warning you that you have been chosen for an e-audit, and asking you to fill out some forms, keep the following facts in mind: the IRS doesn’t perform e-audits, and they don’t warn you when they are planning to audit you. Oh, so that’s probably another scam, huh?

In short, trust no one. Anyone can sound professional over the phone, and anyone can create an official-looking website.

If someone contacts you and asks for information, that’s your biggest clue that something’s wrong. Investigate thoroughly before you tell anyone anything.

Free Gift Scams

You’ve won an amazing free gift!(Just give us your credit card number for a small shipping and handling fee.) Well, then, it’s not really free, now is it?

Don’t give your credit card number to unsolicited e-mail offers. Don’t make us say it again! If you’re really tempted by the “free” toy, investigate the company first to make sure it’s legitimate. Does it have a phone number you can call to reach a live person? Does the area code match the address of the company?

Call the Better Business Bureau where the company is located to get all the dirt.

Lottery Scams and The Old Friend Scams

Lottery Scams

In this tempting scam, you get an e-mail, often from Canada or the Netherlands, saying you’ve won money in a lottery. To claim the cash, you simply need to verify your identity. Ummm, not to burst your bubble, but if you didn’t enter the lottery, it’s highly unlikely that you managed to win it. Repeat after us: S-C-A-M.

The “Old Friend” Scams

Someone e-mails you claiming to be a long-lost friend, maybe someone from a chatroom, and asks you some seemingly innocent questions. But remember: Friends don’t make friends fill out questionnaires! This is an identity thief trying to weasel info out of you, like your birth date and your interests, which could help them figure out your password. Don’t respond.

The Nigerian Scam

This is another popular one, so if you have an e-mail account, you’ve probably seen it. Here’s how it goes: you get an e-mail from “a government representative,” usually from Nigeria, asking for your help moving a large amount of money.

Often they’ll tell you that you were recommended by a “business associate” as the trustworthy type. In return, you get a cut of the money, and your part is easy. All you have to do is provide your bank account number…Yeah, right. Can you guess where this is going?

Phishing or The Account Maintenance Scam

This is the big one, and it works over the phone or through e-mail. Someone claiming to be from a company you have an account with—your bank, online retailer, or Internet provider, for instance—contacts you to “confirm” your account information, i.e., all the information an identity thief can use. Don’t. If it’s a phone call, double-check that the caller is legit by hanging up and calling them back using a reliable number. (Get, the number yourself from the phone book or a billing statement.)

If the account maintenance request comes in an e-mail, it’s called phishing, and things get even trickier. You’ll be asked to click on a link within the e-mail, which will take you to a site that looks exactly like the company’s real site. Don’t be fooled! There you’ll find a form, and if you fill it out, an identity thief gets all your info.

So how can you tell if an e-mail like this is a scam? Well, remember that link in the e-mail? It was probably your Internet provider’s real address, but here’s the diabolical truth: a link can say one thing and take you somewhere else entirely! Even the address bar on your browser can fool you. Thieves buy domain names that are almost exactly identical to the actual site names: www.yourbank.net becomes www.yourbank.com or www.yourbankonline.net. Again, you need to verify this through a separate source. Call the company directly, or type the address you know is theirs into your browser. If you go to the real website, you’ll often find a warning about the scam. If not, forward them the fake e-mail so they can alert other customers.