NCJ Number
201023
Date Published
June 2000
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This guide was designed by the Missouri Attorney General's Office to assist consumers in spotting and avoiding Internet scams.
Abstract
The guide offers tips and advice in six general areas of potential Internet fraud: on-line shopping, auctions, business opportunities, guaranteed loans and credit, investment opportunities, and identity theft. The first section concerning on-line shopping encourages consumers to exercise caution by using a secure browser, safeguarding personal information, shopping with known companies, and keeping passwords private. The top 10 Internet scams are listed to inform consumers of the major threats. The second section on auctions cautions that 87 percent of Internet scams in 1999 involved on-line auctions. Advice on how to avoid auction scams is presented, including numerous things to ask before bidding. The third section offers advice on avoiding fraudulent business opportunities on-line and lists the major business-related scams operating on-line, such as work-at-home scams. Additionally, the guide offers tips for avoiding fraudulent loans, credit offers, and investment opportunities. Issues related to the growing problem of identity theft are discussed and tips are offered for how to protect against identity theft. Finally, the guide lists additional consumer-oriented brochures offered by the Attorney General’s Office of Missouri and encourages citizens to report consumer fraud on the Internet through the use of a downloadable complaint form.