BBB representative details recent scams
By BILL RICHMOND
City editor
Indianapolis Better Business Bureau President and CEO Linda Carmody recently stopped by the newspaper office to let area residents know about scams and schemes they should be on the lookout for.
"One of the fastest growing scams right now," Carmody said, "involves letters sent to consumers offering employment as a mystery shopper. The letters contain a (counterfeit) check to cover your first assignment and say congratulations, you've got a job. The first job is always a secret shopper assignment for Western Union or Money Gram, using reputable names to gain your trust.
"The letter asks the recipient to wire money using one of these systems and submit a report on their experience. They give you a number to call for more information and say deposit the check we gave you into your own bank account and wire $1,500 to $2,000 through one of these services and let us know if the system met your expectations and whether the salesperson was helpful and friendly."
After the individual wires the money to the company as instructed, they find out the check they deposited in their account is not valid.
Carmody said perpetrators of this scam likely get information about who may be most susceptible to such a scheme from services where job seekers post their resumes online. She said anyone who receives such a letter should contact the BBB.
"The main thing is, we are warning people to not get excited if they receive this notification," she said. "If anyone does get such a letter and they could send the originals to us, we would love to have them."
Carmody said another fast growing scam involves a fake Publisher's Clearing House prize notification letter (again, using a known company to gain the consumer's trust).
"A lady from Greenfield received an official-looking award notification letter," she said. "When the lady called the number for more information, she was told to wire $1,500 to Publisher's Clearing House. They said the prize check would be delivered to her home at a particular date and time. She invited family and friends to be there and, of course, nobody showed up to award the prize. Could you imagine how embarrassed that lady was? I feel so sorry for her."
Carmody said things many of these scams have in common include: a congratulatory letter; a check sent to you; a request to call for instructions; and you have to wire them money.
She said another thing to be on the lookout for is homeopathic "cancer cures." The US Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters to 23 companies in the United States and two foreign individuals for marketing fraudulent claims to prevent and/or cure cancer. The FDA also warns consumers against using products such as tablets, teas, tonics, black salves and creams that are being sold online. More information is available at www.fda.gov.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is an organization based in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The BBB acts as a mutually trusted intermediary between consumers and businesses to resolve disputes, facilitate communication, and provide information on ethical business practices. BBB services include:
* Business Reliability Reports
* Dispute Resolution
* Truth-in-Advertising
* Consumer and Business Education
* Charity review listings
To contact Carmody at the Indianapolis Better Business Bureau, call 1-800-488-4403, extension 101. Additional information is available on the Internet at info@indybbb.org and www.bbb.org. The mailing address for the local BBB headquarters is: 22 E. Washington Street, Suite 200, Indianapolis, Ind., 46204. Office hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. A 24-hour automated phone system provides trade practice information at 1-866-463-9222.
