Scam.com

This is the time of year when many scams are abundant on the internet. Those holiday bills are coming in and debts are starting to increase as a result. With job market looking scarce; many people tend to seek out online money-making opportunities-usually in form of some home-based business or work-at-home job which promises a lucrative income. Unfortunately, many of these deals require you to pay fee or subscription to access a specific website or to download the materials needed to work the business/program.

Of course the flashy advertising doesn't hold back on the claims it makes and it is these claims which entice you to buy. Unfortunately, the claims made by many of these ads are not true or they are overly exaggerated. Which all comes down to one word; scam.

When considering buying into an online money-making program, its important to do your home work first.

Being internet street-smart can save you a lot of time, money, and headaches.

• First and foremost, make sure the business has contact information-a phone number and address. I would suggest calling the business and ask some questions about the program or opportunity before buying. Make sure you get to speak with a live human being and not just leaving messages on a voice mail.
• Check if the business is listed with the Better Business Bureau. Note: not every business/advertiser is listed in the BBB, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they're not legit, but in all honesty, it does add to their credibility.
• Making a payment, make sure the website is secure. Look for the "https" in the address bar. This indicates a secure site. FYI: not all websites are truly secure. Some phishers use websites which appear to have padlocks. To check, click on the padlock icon on the status bar to see the security certificate.
• Use a PayPal account when making purchases on line. Its separate from your checking or savings account and PayPal can take steps to refund your money if necessary. Which reminds me.
• Stay away from online money-making deals that don’t have a refund policy. This can be a red flag of a scam. Make sure the policy is clearly stated. You might even want to copy and paste it to a note pad for your records. There are numerous sites that make it easy for you to buy, but make it very difficult to get your money back.
• Spam-junk e-mail is often used to promote bogus investment schemes. With bulk email software, spammers can send out millions of email ads, some even personalized with your name and address on it. Many scam artists use spam to reach potential victims.
• Work at home deals. Be very careful of those work-at-home opportunities. There are so many of them which require you to pay a fee. Hmmm, paying a fee to work for a company. That should be a red flag to you. Keep in mind that truly legit work-at-home deals will not require a fee.

If you are scammed, you are not powerless. There are steps you can take to recoup your money and even bring the scammers to justice.

If you're having a problem with a online business your dealing with, don't hesitate to contact the Better Business Bureau. Businesses hate complaints filed against them and this is particularly true if they are members of the BBB. Another option is contacting the state's Attorney General in the state where the business is located. Many state Attorney Generals' offices have websites where you can file a complaint online and report scams. You can even contact your local FBI office or go to their website where you can report a scam at http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/ . Try working out the matter first with the business, often just the threat of filing a complaint or being reported to the authorities is enough to get justice.