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The Internet is a very useful tool, but it has
given a new lease of life to some old scams
such as pyramid schemes, chain letters, bogus
business or investment "opportunities".
The Internet makes
it even easier for tricksters to hide, shut
down or move on. Clever web sites may look legitimate
and be more convincing than newspaper advertisements
making the same false claims.
Internet scams may find
you via your e-mail address. With a few keystrokes
a "Net Nasty" reaches hundreds of
thousands of people through a single message
posted on the Internet. Just as tricksters use
unsolicited mail to tout their schemes to unsuspecting
people, so do the new super-highway robbers.
Treat unsolicited Internet
emails offering easy money with all the same
caution as unsolicited postal mail.
This doesn't mean you
should avoid using the Internet. It does mean
that potential investors exploring the Web should
do so with caution and be aware of the possibility
of scams.
• Make sure that
an investment or business opportunity and the
person or company promoting it are properly
registered with the relevant authority or trade
association.
• Check out the
company or individual's track record.
• Take your time.
While there may be time limits for special offers,
high-pressure sales tactics are often danger
signs of a scam.
• Take independent
professional (legal and/or financial) advice.
• Remember that
people in cyber-space are not always what they
seem.
• Don't expect to
get rich quick, and invest only with those you
know and trust.
• Don't assume that
your online computer service polices its investment
bulletin boards.
• Don't buy little
known shares strictly on the basis of online
(or other) hype.
• Don't give your
bank account numbers, credit card numbers or
other personal information to anyone you don't
know or haven't checked out.
• Don't judge reliability
by how professional a web site looks. It's relatively
easy and costs very little to create, register,
and promote a web site.
• Try not to accept
unsolicited e-mails. They violate 'netiquette'
and are often used by scam artists.
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