You may have come across the following scenarios online: an African royal promises you 2 percent of a $100 million fortune if you transfer the money to your bank account; your bank is missing your Social Security Number and needs you to update your personal information; and a website will give you a $500 gift card if you fill out a survey. Well, guess what? They’re all scams. Kudos to you if your recognized them as illegitimate; if not, it’s time to brush up on your scam knowledge:

• Beware Of Overseas Fortunes - There are two types of scams that mostly originate overseas. The first is called the “Nigerian Scam”, otherwise known as the “419 Scam.” You usually get letter in your inbox from a foreign dignitary - usually the son or daughter of a murdered public official. They ask you to transfer a sum - usually in the millions - and you will get to keep a percentage of that money. However, it requires you to pay transfer fees and other costs, which you wind up losing in the end. Visit Snopes for more on the Nigerian Scam. The second is a lottery scam, where you are told that you won a foreign lottery. Before you receive the money, you have to pay “insurance” or “taxes” - only to realize you’ve been duped out of these sums, including the lottery winnings. Even if the e-mail has a phone number to call and confirm, ignore it and delete the e-mail.
• Ignore Promises Of Virtual Riches - Many online games, including Neopets and Second Life, have online currency that you use in game play. Scammers will ask for your password (called phishing) and promise that they will deposit millions of dollars, Neopoints, Lindens or applicable currency in your account. Don’t fall for it - they won’t give you the money, and will bilk you out of items and currency you already own.
• Your Bank Will Not Ask For Personal Information Through E-Mail - If you receive an e-mail from PayPal, eBay, your credit card company or your bank asking you to update your personal information by following a link, don’t do it. This is another phishing scheme looking for your password and personal data - basically, information that can be used to access your money or steal your identity. These entities will never ask you for personal information in an e-mail. The scammers don’t know you have a PayPal, eBay or a particular credit card or bank account, and send out random e-mails hoping that at least someone with those accounts will bite. Another scheme this scammers use is called vishing (voice phishing). You’ll get an e-mail from “your” bank, asking you to call a phone number to update your personal information. You call, the scammers steal your information. If you ever get an e-mail like this and have doubts, call your bank by going to their website (type it in yourself) or calling the number on the back of your credit card.
• Never Accept A Check For More Than An Item’s Asking Price - This is a popular scam aimed at people selling items on websites like Craigslist and eBay. The buyer will send you a check for more than the asking price, then ask you to wire back the remainder of the check. You cash the check, it bounces and you wind up losing money in the end. More about this scheme can be found at the National Consumers League’s FakeChecks.org.
• Avoid Free Gift Card Offers - You’ve seen the advertisements all over the place, along the lines of “Shoot three ducks and win a $500 Applebee’s gift card” or “Tell us if you like Obama or Hillary and win a $100 Macy’s gift card!” For the most part, it’s a scam to get personal information from you. In some cases, you’re enrolled in something you might ultimately have to pay for. Also expect to be barraged by spam e-mail. This is a growing problem, especially on MySpace - and it’s big enough that Macy’s has even addressed the scam on its site.
• Free Trials May Not Be Free - Many “free trials” offered online aren’t free trials in the end, so read the fine print.  For one, you’ve probably seen the face cream ads online, with the wrinkley woman magically transforming into a babe. You sign up for the trial and put a small shipping and handling fee on your credit card. Little do you know that you’re signing up for a monthly program and will get charged an insane amount of money per month until you cancel - that is, if you can cancel. Hydroderm is one past offender, but there are plenty of others who have gotten away with this. 
• You Will Get Published - But Only If You Pay - There are many different variations of this scam, from poetry contests to “Who’s Who” directories. Basically, these companies will publish anyone’s name in hopes that the person will shell out money to see their name in print, accept an award at a fancy dinner or more. Usually, the person winds up shelling out hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars for a recognition that’s not widely recognized. Read the Writer Beware blog for more about these schemes.
• You Will Not Make Money On “Hot Stocks” - You’ve probably received and e-mail on a penny stock - usually some random company with low (hence the “penny”) stock prices. This e-mail tells you that the stock is going to rise quickly, so you better buy soon. The scammer buys into these penny stocks, waits for the prices to quickly rise thanks to unsuspecting buyers, and then quickly sells. His manipulation makes money off this artificial demand, and then leaves you in the dust after he sells his shares and the prices collapse.
• Social Networking Is Prime For Phishing - If you’re a MySpace user, you’ve probably seen your friends post advertisements for free gift cards, legal marijana, profile trackers, penis enlargers and more. Other times, you’ll receive a video from a friend, but it doesn’t work. If you click on any of these, you will probably be led to a fake MySpace log-in page, and unsuspecting you will enter your username and password. Phished! Now the scammers have your username and password, and will use your profile to further these scams. Never log-in to MySpace unless you’re on http://www.myspace.com. Also, never download files from these links, because they may be spyware. Read MySpace Scams for more. And if you notice your friend has fallen victim to one of these scams, tell him to change his password immediately, or these scams will continue to multiply.
• If Something Is Too Good To Be True, It Probably Is - Listen to this old adage. If you sense there’s something fishy, stick with your gut. Check websites like Snopes and Scambusters, or Google the offer and the word scam to see what comes up. You’ll be surprised how many people are out to get your information.

What are some other scams you’ve come across?

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