Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
TwitThis
7 Red Flags to Watch Out For
- Claims that you've won a "free" prize, or a fee to collect your "winnings"-for a contest you haven't entered.
- Companies that offer freebies to entice you into attending a high-pressure sales presentation, where there may be more incentives. You could lose sight of just how much this "free" deal could cost you.
- Promises of insider discounts, special deals, or secret information offered exclusively by a firm. Often you can find better offers on your own.
- Salespeople who pressure you to make an immediate financial commitment or to sign a contract you haven't read.
- Contracts or forms that are hard to understand. Even minor mistakes in filling out the form may be used as an excuse to avoid honoring the agreement.
- Companies that won't put their prices or promises in writing. A legitimate firm stands behind its deals and wants to give you what you need to make a smart decision.
- Firms that do not provide contact information or that provide only an e-mail address or a post office box. After all, if you can locate them, authorities can too.
Send the company a written complaint, asking for a refund. Detail the problem and include any relevant documentation. If you paid by credit card, you can dispute the charge in cases of fraud and nondelivery of a product or service. If it's a local business, consider suing in small-claims court.
- To help prevent others from getting scammed, contact:
- Your state's attorney general (naag.org). If the company that victim_ized you operates in another state, notify that attorney general as well. If there are many complaints against the company, an attorney general may file a suit, which could win financial judgments for consumers or put the operation out of business.
- The Federal Trade Commission (ftc.gov). You'll find extensive information about common rip-offs and scams, plus an online complaint form.
- The Better Business Bureau (bbb.org). It will contact companies about consumer complaints and issue fraud alerts to the public, media, and government agencies. It also has an online complaint form.
Advertisement 
