FTC's Credit Clean Sweep

By Moneysmartz on Thu, October 23, 2008, 2:43 PM Discuss (0) | Link

Archived Under: Fraud , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: Credit Scams, Fraud, FTC, The Moneysherpa Pages

Today, the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") and 24 state agencies announced results from "Operation Clean Sweep," an effort to crackdown on false and misleading statements by "Credit Repair Operations." Lydia Parnes, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection said, "Companies that promise they are able to scrub your credit reports of accurate, negative information for a fee are lying - plain and simple." Visit the FTC site for the complete Clean Sweep press release. In addition, the FTC offers a wealth of credit resources including Credit Repair: How to Help Yourself and information on how to manage your credit and debt.

OnGuard Online

By Moneysmartz on Tue, October 17, 2006, 1:37 PM Discuss (0) | Link

Archived Under: Fraud , New and Notable

Site Name: OnGuard Online
Site Description: Maintained by The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with support from numerous partners including the US Department of Justice and the Better Business Bureau, OnGuard provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on guard against Internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect your personal information. The site offers an overview of online risks, including identity theft, Internet auctions, spyware, wireless, phishing, social networking sites, spam scams, online shopping, p2p file-sharing, voip, cross border scams and online investing.
Personal Finance Category: Internet Fraud
Bottom Line: OnGuard's overview of threats to your security are a necessary read, giving you the knowledge you need to make more informed decisions about where you spend your time online. For Internet-challenged parents, OnGuard's tips and information will help you protect your children online. Since the threats will continue to grow, OnGuard is worth a bookmark and frequent visits.

BBBOnline Reliability Program

By Moneysmartz on Fri, October 6, 2006, 9:34 AM | Link

Archived Under: Fraud , Government Resources , Moneysmartz Editor , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: BBBOnline Reliability Program, Internet Fraud, Moneysmartz Editor, The Moneysherpa Pages

Verifying the authenticity of a website or finding an authoritative third-party referral is something we often overlook when searching online. As it becomes easier and less expensive to produce a polished and professional looking website, the threat of visiting a fraudulent site increases.

Fortunately, there are programs to combat Internet fraud, including the BBBOnline Reliability Program, which connects consumers with legitimate businesses.

Participating companies, after pledging to meet the BBBOnLine Reliability standards for ethical online business practices and agreeing to resolve complaints using the BBB's dispute resolution program or a similar program, may post the BBBOnline Reliability Seal on their websites.

In addition to looking for the seal, consumers should visit the BBB site and browse the directory of BBBOnline Reliability Program participants.

One final thought. Be sure to click the seal. After clicking, you should go to a page verifying that the company participates in the program or that their participation has lapsed. Since it's easy for sites to copy and post the seal online, make sure that the clicked seal goes to the BBBOnline site. Help other consumers by reporting abuse of the seal to BBBOnline.

Fighting Back Against Identity Theft

By Moneysmartz on Mon, October 2, 2006, 11:53 AM Discuss (0) | Link

Archived Under: Fraud , Government Resources , Moneysmartz Editor , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: FTC, Government Resources, Identity Theft, Moneysmartz Editor, The Moneysherpa Pages

October conjures images of ghosts, goblins, and mail order costumes. It's the time of year when getting scared is fun.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), over 10 million Americans every year get spooked for real by identity theft. Unlike an amused laugh from a poorly carved pumpkin, identity theft elicits fear and causes untold pain and suffering by those having information about them used to commit fraud.

Fortunately, there are resources to help consumers fight back.

The FTC, through its Deter, Detect, Defend, and Avoid Identity Theft program offers easy to follow tips and tools including a must view 10-minute identity theft video with ways you can protect yourself.

Taking action won't remove the threat of identity theft, but it may keep the boo where it belongs and away from you.