A SCAM IS A SCAM, IS A SCAM!!!

I must admit the minds of crooks, scammers, hackers, thieves, call them as you wish, is amazingly inventive and it takes imagination to protect ourselves from the EVER evolving art of scamming!

I decided to share this “observation” with everyone, because recently I had an AHA!!! moment that there is a PATTERN which could be applied to any products or companies. It is NOT about the names of products or companies which could, and ARE CHANGED as soon as the consumers discover them.

What is the KEY to discover a scam before you loose money?

If you get ANY FREE offers which ONLY require you to pay $3.95 or $4.99 or EVEN ONE PENNY by using your credit or debit card, think twice before giving away your card information.
All the scammer wants is your card’s information. Once they have it, before you realize what is happening, they could max out your card!

THE PATTERN TO AVOID:

Recently, I noticed after ending transactions with reputable, safe and secure institutions, such as my bank, a “SURVEY” is offered, as if from the institution I just did business with, and as if the institution OFFERS it. As a “thank you,” I am offered a FREE product for answering three questions.
The best and safest is to CLOSE the WINDOW and NOT click on OK!!!

However, if you are curious, as I am, and you click on ok and answer the three questions, and as a reward you are offered a few FREE products, of which you could choose one or two and only pay for shipping, think TWICE before you give out your credit or debit card information thinking you will only be charged for the shipping! Chances are you might be charged for much more. Of course, some “free offers” might be legitimate. It is up to us to make a choice and take a risk.

Could we have the best of both worlds?
What do I mean by it? If I feel the free product is something I really, really could not live without and I want it so much, I’m willing to risk, there is a way to avoid being totally scammed…

How to risk without risking being scammed?

Buy a PREPAID CARD with a very low limit. Of course, the lower the limit, the smaller the risk!

This is a perfect illustration of the proverb:
Better safe than sorry!

Enjoy your hard earned money and please share with us your experiences and tips!