Scammed Once upon a time store prices were simple and fair, businesses stood behind their products with guarantees free of fine print and loopholes, and companies genuinely seemed to care about their valued customers—but those days are long gone. In his new exposé, consumer advocate Christopher…
Managing Money Topic: Fraud
A listing of news items, events, books, and publications on fraud.
News & Headlines
- June 15, 2012 CFPB ramps up effort to combat financial scams against elderly
- May 10, 2012 Credit card fraud triggered in RFID cards (Chinese)
- April 12, 2012 Caen varios “iBobos” comprando iPhones piratas
- February 22, 2012 Survey: ID theft on the rise again, card victims jump by 2 million annually
- June 28, 2011 Used-car buyers beware of fake Edmunds service
Publications
Friday, February 08, 2013
Good Credit - Build it and keep it (English). A fact sheet that explains what a credit history is, how to get your credit report, how to establish good credit and where to complain if you have a problem.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Banking Basics - Leader's Guide. A guide to help community agency staff encourage clients who do not have bank accounts to become part of the banking system. It covers the options that bank customers have and the decisions they need to make when opening an account.
Tuesday, October 09, 2012
Manage Your Money Wisely - Seminar Lesson Plan (English). This PDF file provides guidance for teachers and team leaders. The 27-page packet contains a detailed curriculum, classroom activities and take home worksheets.
Wednesday, October 03, 2012
ID Theft & Account Fraud - Leader's Guide. This 21-page backgrounder guide is written in question-and-answer format to help you anticipate frequently asked questions about identity theft and account fraud. Reading this guide can help prepare you for in-service or train-the-trainer presentations. Topics include an overview of ID theft and account fraud, how to prevent ID theft, advice for victims and helpful ID theft resources that you can use to find more information or to file complaints.
Tuesday, October 02, 2012
Managing Your Money - Leader's Guide. This guide can help you become a money management mentor. Once you understand the basics of money management, you'll be able to help others learn techniques that can make an important difference in their finances.
CA News & Special Reports
Insurance Issue [Fall 2008] In the Fall 2008 issue, Consumer Action focuses on insurance. The results of an online poll reveal details about consumers and insurance coverage, including the downsides to filing a claim. Other topics include credit car rental car coverage, how to add "riders" to policies, the… ( Wednesday, November 12, 2008 )
On Our Radar
- October 31, 2007 FTC Releases Second Fraud Survey More than 30 million adults in the United States — 13.5 percent of the adult population of the country — were victims of certain scams during a 12-month period from 2004 to 2005, according to a newly released survey from the Federal Trade Commission.
- September 11, 2007 Protecting Senior Investors Securities regulators examine "free lunch" investment seminars.
Coalition
- November 18, 2009 Protect debt-strapped consumers from unscrupulous industry practices Consumer Action filed joint comments, along with 18 other consumer organizations, with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) supporting amendments to the Telemarketing Sales Rule that would protect debt-strapped consumers from unscrupulous practices by companies that offer to arrange payment plans with their creditors, get their interest rates or fees reduced, or settle their debts for pennies on the dollar.
- November 09, 2007 FakeChecks.org: A new consumer anti-fraud resource FakeChecks.org, a new web site and public awareness campaign, targets the most common variations on the growing problem of counterfeit and fake check fraud. It features frequently asked questions (FAQs), tests you can take to gauge your vulnerability, and humorous videos to with key messages.
BookNotes
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Recovering from Identity Theft
Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States and in many cases the victim has no knowledge of the theft until the situation is dire. Even then, most people have no idea what to do to get their lives…
Since the Bernard Madoff "Ponzi scheme" scandal broke, shocking investors and the Wall Street community, this insider's guide to investment rip-offs, scams and con artists has been in demand. The book, published in the late '90s, is designed to educate consumers and make them…
Who was Ponzi, the man whose name is synonymous with the classic “rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul” scam where money from new investors goes to reward earlier ones? (It's the kind of scheme that Bernard Madoff recently used to rake in $50 billion from gullible folks all over…
The Truth About Avoiding Scams
Scams have always been with us, and they always will be - except now, technology makes scammers' jobs even easier, enabling them to reach out from anywhere around the world, and take advantage of more people than ever before. No matter how smart you…
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