The Bernard Madoff scam may be the largest in history but it is only the tip of the iceberg.
Thousands of scams are currently on the internet.

Here are some of the more common types.

Affinity scams and frauds- They prey on church members or groups of people with common
interests. Religous scams are very common. Many portray themselves as "Christ-centered" while emptying your bank account.

MLM's Another type scam. Promises of easy money based upon recruiting friends and relatives and church or fellow club members. Again they empty your bank account and you lose your friends.

Foreclosure scams They promise to get you out of foreclosure for an up front fee. Never pay for services you can get for free. There are agencies that will help you for no charge.

Investment scams Promises of high return on investments. We have seen many cases here
in the San Joaquin Valley. Similar to the Madoff ponzi scheme. Usually the perpertrator is known by a friend or relative and works on a false sense of trust.

Feel free to share your experiences on this blog. You can remain anonomous. We are not judgmental. All of us have been taken as some time or other.

Frank Thomas
Ask the consumer advocate