Beware! The Worst Scams to Watch Out For

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Written by Alex Bach

Unless you’re Charles Bronson looking for a excuse to go on a rampage of revenge, no one wants to get scammed.  And, of course, scammers know that; which is why they design their scams to appear as anything but what they really are.  So how can you tell?  Not to worry, we’ve outlines some of the biggest scams currently making the rounds.

Many of these scams can damage your credit history and wreak disaster on your financial lives. Credit Report Problems has some tips you can use to help you prevent and protect yourself from harm.

Here are…

The Worst Scams Going Around Today

Affordable Care Act Scam

Scammers have been cashing in (literally) on the wealth of confusion surrounding signing up for he ACA, or Obamacare. Scammers are offering to “help” these confused and vulnerable people  sign up for insurance, and either stealing their personal information or charging them for their insurance. These scammers have been targeting the elderly in particular.  When signing up for Obamacare make sure and vet your healthcare navigator or else use the official website.

Rental Scams

Rental scams are currently among some of the biggest scams out there right now, taking advantage of foreclosure’s, financial setbacks and general housing confusion offset by their need to live someplace.  Here are some of the current rental scams out there:

  • Renting out vacant houses they have no legal rights to
  • Pre-Foreclosure rentals, renting out houses to family’s when the property is already slated for foreclosure
  • Eviction Prevention Insurance, charging people a fee to prevent eviction from foreclosed homes
  • And, of course, the age-old stolen security deposit for damages that may or may not exist

Employment Scams

Lots of work for little to no money has been the scheme of ages: going back all the way to the Egyptian slaves and finding new incarnations throughout history. Today is no different. Pyramid schemes are rampant, as are scams promising the ability to work from home and earn thousands per month.  Many internet employment scams out there want you to submit “examples” to them for little or no money as part of the job screening process.  While there are employment opportunities online, the lack of verification makes it a target rich environment for scammers.

Remember, always err on the side of caution; and if something seems like it’s too good to be true, it likely is!