Customer Reviews

The Truth About Avoiding Scams

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

We live in a time where crooks have many new tools to trick you into giving them your money or deceive you into providing them the tools they need to steal from you. This very handy book provides helpful, clear, and concise information about 61 scams you are likely to face just because you live in the modern world.

Steve Weisman divides these 61 chapters into 12 parts. He discusses Identity Theft, Computer Scams, Classic Scams such as the Ponzi Scheme - Chain Letters - and their modern counterparts such as the Nigerian Scam, scams that involve your health and insurance, telephone scams, tax scams, what the truth about government assistance is, the wide range of credit card scams, employment scams, scams involving your home, investment scams, and what you can do to keep your personal information, computer, and bank accounts secure.

If you are looking for an in-depth analysis of any particular scam or their history, this isn't really the book you are looking for. However, if you want a practical guide to what these dozens and dozens of scams are and how they are worked against you, this is just the ticket.

Very good.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

Pro: Lots of scams covered, including some I'd never heard of.

Cons: Very light on information, many scams "covered" in less than half a page. Each scam begins with a title page (with the name of the scam in giant letters) that takes up two pages! One side of the page has the title and the other side is blank. The amount of content in the book is probably more along the lines of 90 pages than the 224 pages in the description.

I got this book for my mother as a general overview of various scams out there. Many of the scams prey on the elderly and this book is written in a way that is clear even for those who are not very technology savvy.

Steve Weisman discusses Identity Theft, Computer Scams, Ponzi Schemes, Chain Letters, Nigerian Scams, as well as variations on these scams including health, insurance, telephone scams, tax scams, credit card scams, employment scams, investment scams, scams involving reparis to your home. He also provides tips on how to keep your personal information, computer, and bank accounts secure.

My mother liked the book, and I feel less worried that she will fall for something because she was not aware of various scams.

This book, the Truth About Avoiding Scams, was very good. I am glad I bought it; and I am sharing it with friends. It is very timely, with so many innocent people being scammed in our high-tech age. I has made me stop and think twice about alot of things. I thank the author for bringing all of this to our attention in a concise, easy to read book. LJK

It's alarming to read how easy it is to be scammed. This is one book you are SURE to need!

Among lots of scams mentioned:

Phishing schemes (be sure to check out the web address)

Registry and Patriot Act Scams and Trojan horses

Ponzi schemes

Lottery and contest scams

900 number scams

Veteran scams

ATM and 'skimmers" scams

Scams of credit repair and creidt couseling

Credit card scams--rate reduction and advance fee scams

Umployement scams: work at home, cruise and airline employment scams

Stock market scams.

This is one USEFUL and NEEDED book.

An excellent book for the consumer, and as a Loss Prevention Officer I have found this book to be a good reference tool.