| Online credit card fraud is on the rise thanks to a | | | | service" center in Las Vegas that handles all the calls |
| number of unscrupulous advertising schemes. While | | | | for these Google and government grant sites. |
| get rich quick internet marketing schemes have | | | | When you call, start with the name of the site that you |
| always been popular on the web, our current | | | | found the phone number on. The customer service |
| economic crisis is drawing even more people to check | | | | agent will first say that you opted in for these sites |
| out advertisers who claim to have a way to generate | | | | and try to resell you on the idea. When you say no to |
| cash quick. | | | | that, they will say ok, we won't make any further |
| Of particular note are the omnipresent ads for Google | | | | charges. What they are not saying is that they will |
| links and government grants. In the case of the Google | | | | refund the original unauthorized charge. Your response |
| ads, the advertiser promises to send you information | | | | is to make it clear that you want a refund. Stick to |
| on how to make $5000 per month posting links on | | | | your guns and they will do it and send an email |
| Google and only wants $1.98 for shipping and handling. | | | | confirming it. |
| The grant ads promise much the same and again just | | | | Once you have that concession on the original site, tell |
| want a small shipping and handling fee. | | | | them you want the same thing done on each of the |
| What most people do not see, is in the terms and | | | | other sites. If there is a site that they no longer work |
| conditions you have opted in to a number of monthly | | | | with, then go to your credit card company and explain |
| subscriptions that, depending on the number of | | | | that it was an unauthorized charge and there is no |
| advertisers in the scheme, can total close to $100 per | | | | way for you to contact them. The card company |
| month. These "memberships" are automatically applied | | | | obviously has a means of contacting the vendor and |
| to the credit card that you used to pay the "shipping | | | | will freeze the transaction until the vendor can provide |
| and handling" fees of the original requested information. | | | | proof of a valid transaction. |
| In addition to enrolling you into these worthless monthly | | | | The old adage of "If it sounds too good to be true, |
| programs, they sell your email, phone number and | | | | then it probably isn't" applies here. What is so sad is |
| mailing address to direct marketers. Shortly after you | | | | that these predatory advertisers know that these |
| make the payment for the "shipping and handling" | | | | difficult times are going to drive more traffic to their |
| charges, you will be flooded with spam emails, junk | | | | absolutely worthless sites and they don't have any |
| snail mail and your phone will start ringing off the hook | | | | qualms about taking the consumers money. |
| from telemarketers who want to tell you how to make | | | | In summary, read the terms and conditions of any site |
| money at home. | | | | that you are unfamiliar with or making your first |
| The first time you will be aware that you are enrolled | | | | purchase from. Ideally use PayPal if that is given as an |
| in the monthly sites will be when you notice the | | | | option. PayPal simply acts like a bank and does not |
| charges on your credit card statement. In some | | | | reveal your credit card information to the site you are |
| instances there will only be the name of the site and | | | | buying from. PayPal simply processes the charge |
| no telephone number making it more difficult to contact | | | | internally and sends the money to the vendor. If PayPal |
| them and cancel the memberships. In some instances | | | | is not an option, always look for the VeriSign badge to |
| you will have to Google the website name to find a | | | | ensure that the transaction is going over a secure |
| forum where somebody has tracked down a phone | | | | server and that the vendor meets the standards of a |
| number for the site. | | | | secure site. Lastly, go over your statements with a fine |
| Here is a big time saving tip. If you can find one phone | | | | tooth comb to find unauthorized purchases and then |
| number on your credit card bill, you have just found the | | | | follow up in getting them removed. |
| number for all these sites. There is a "customer | | | | |