US Hispanic Marketing

Make a mental note of the following, and make a resolution to avoid these scams in 2010. It should be easy to keep - and it will save you time and money.

'FREE' TRIAL OFFERS - Ads for trial offers for teeth whiteners, acai anti-aging pills and other miracle potions are all over the Internet. The free trial actually costs hundreds of dollars month after month.

STIMULUS/GOVERNMENT GRANT SCAMS - Even before Congress passed the economic stimulus plan in February, scammers had set up schemes to mislead consumers and small business owners into thinking they could get a piece of the pie.

LOTTERY/SWEEPSTAKES SCAM - A victim receives a letter in the mail pretending to be from Reader's Digest, Publisher's Clearing House or a phony foreign lottery. The letter says the victim has won millions. The letter comes with a check that represents a portion of the total winnings. To get the rest, the victim has to deposit the check and wire hundreds of dollars back to the scammers, supposedly to cover taxes or some other bogus fee. The victim wires the money, but the prize never arrives. One man in Boise lost $4,000 to this scam this month.

JOB HUNTER SCAMS - The thieves are targeting the unemployed to steal identities through fake job applications that ask for too much information or claim to require a credit check before you can be considered for a job.

MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE RESCUE/DEBT ASSISTANCE - Hucksters are offering to help you save your house from foreclosure or get out of credit card debt. Unfortunately, victims pay hundreds of dollars up front for assistance they desperately need but never receive.

MYSTERY SHOPPING - Consumers across the country thought that they could make some extra money by becoming secret shoppers. Victims are asked to evaluate their shopping experiences at a few stores as well as a money-wiring service such as Western Union or MoneyGram by wiring money back to the scammers. A seemingly real-looking check is supposed to cover the costs, but ends up being a fake. The victim is out thousands of dollars.

OVER-PAYMENT SCAMS - We hear from small businesses every week that someone is trying to place a large order, overpay with a check or credit card (both are frauds), and have the business wire the excess to a third-party shipper. The bogus shipper is part of the scam.

Be resolute in 2010 to protect your identity. Never wire money to someone you don't know. Research the seller through the BBB before you buy. And have a happy new year!