BBB Reports The Top 10 Scams And Rip-Offs Of 2009

2009 will be remembered as a year when consumer finance, employment and pop-culture trends were at the forefront of everyone's minds—especially scammers, who preyed heavily on emotions. Better Business Bureau serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington reports on the top 10 scams of 2009:

1. Lottery checks – Consumers receive letters in the mail from supposed lotteries like "Publisher’s Clearing House" telling them they’ve won millions, and must wire hundreds of dollars back to the scammers to cover taxes or some other bogus fee.
2. Mortgage foreclosure rescue/debt assistance – Unethical companies target families struggling in the current economy by offering to help save their home or reduce debt; victims pay hundreds of dollars up-front for assistance they never receive.
3. Robocalls – Phone numbers—some of which are on the do-not-call list—receive harassing automated telemarketing calls, which often falsely claim that the consumer's auto warranty is about to expire or offer to help reduce debt and credit card interest rates. The issue prompted the FTC's ban on robocalls.
4. Job hunter scams – As unemployment in the U.S. hit double digits for the first time in over 25 years, scammers had a large pool of out-of-work individuals to target, taking advantage of job hunters: False work-at-home opportunities and rebate processing schemes abound.
5. Mystery shopping – The job asks consumers to secret shop a few stores, evaluate customer service and then transfer money back to their employer via Western Union or MoneyGram. The scam company sends an authentic-looking check to cover the costs. After wiring funds, victims discover it's a fake check and are out hundreds or thousands of dollars.
6. Google work-from-home scams – Countless Web sites claim "you can learn how to make money from home using Google or Twitter." Schemers lure in consumers—who think they're getting a job with Google or Twitter—with misleading trial offers, starter kits and software.
7. Phishing emails/H1N1 spam – Fake Web sites and phishing or spam e-mails promising to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus were rampant in 2009.
8. Weight loss pill free trial offers – Online ads for acai berry or resveratrol weight loss pills use false endorsements from trusted national news organizations, Oprah, Rachel Ray or Doctor Oz in order to sell a "free product trial" with a small shipping charge; allegedly, credit cards are automatically charged month after month, without permission.
9. Memorabilia – With the election of the first African American President and the death of Michael Jackson, 2009 provided great opportunities for scammers to sell memorabilia, collectibles and commemorative items at inflated prices, which may have only sentimental value.
10. Friend/family in distress – Also known as the "Grandparent Scam," the victim receives a call or online message from a "friend" or "family member" claiming to be stuck in an emergency, car accident or false arrest. The victim wires the money, discovering later it was a scam artist impersonating a friend or relative.

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