’Tis always the season for scammers

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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The creativity and shame of scammers have no limits, it seems. And hardly a moment when the rest of us can let down our guard.

Within hours of Friday's earthquake-tsunami disaster in Japan, researchers at Symantec, a major computer and Internet security company, reported more than 50 domains with the names “Japanese tsunami” or “Japan earthquake.” Hundreds more were registered by Monday. Many of them were soliciting donations toward helping the victims. Many were frauds, preying on the heartstrings and pocketbooks of people who just want to help.

Disgusting. And just one example among thousands of scams that flood us via the phone, e-mail and social media.

Many are circulated worldwide. Others target a community.

For example, Cedar Rapids police this week issued a warning about recent scams reported to them, including one on the popular Craigslist online site. Someone modified a Cedar Rapids landlord's listing for rental property, reducing the rent and listing a different phone number. Callers were told to send first and last month's rent as deposit and a move-in date was set. But when renters tried to move in, whoops, scammed. No lease and out two months' rent.

The phone is still a tool many scammers use. And they still try to talk you into sending them money so you can, for example, collect much bigger lottery “winnings” - which, of course, don't exist.

Now, with warmer weather coming, the home improvement rip-offs are likely to pick up again.

Most of the scams that succeed generally do so because of the same few things: The scam looks like the real deal. It appears to meet a need or desire. And scammers know how to “push people's buttons” and manipulate them.

Although they can help, no device, no police department, no government regulation can protect us from every scammer. So the cardinal rule remains ever important: Be skeptical.

When someone or some technology solicits you for money or a contractual commitment, never give or agree unless you've verified the legitimacy of solicitors and their purpose. If you can't verify or have any lingering doubts, ignore them, hang up or walk away. If they persist and harass, call the police.

Give them good reason never to bother you again. And tell your friends and neighbors.

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On the Net

To learn more about recognizing, reporting and protecting yourself against phone, online and identity theft scams:

- Consumer fraud, various: www.consumerfraudreporting.org/

- Internet fraud: www.onguardonline.gov/

- Identity theft: www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/

- Better Business Bureau: www.bbb.org/