A wealthy foreigner who needs help moving millions of dollars from his homeland promises a hefty percentage of this fortune as a reward for assisting him.
Announcements inform recipients that they've won large sums of money in foreign lotteries.
- Advertisers seek applicants for paid positions as 'secret' or 'mystery' shoppers.
- Advertisers offer kits that enable home workers to make money posting links on the Internet.
- Scammers impersonate distressed family members in desperate need of money.
Tough economic times are, unfortunately, boom times for scammers, as people desperate for money and jobs let down their guards and are more likely to pursue questionable financial opportunities that caution might ordinarily warn them away from. And as folks become more inured to monetary woes, their charitable inclinations are more easily exploited by scammers pretending to be persons in need of sympathetic helping hands. Listed below are several pervasive forms of scams that have proven particularly alluring to potential victims when times are tough.
Family Member in Distress Scam