Scams & Swindles: Phishing, Spoofing, ID Theft, Nigerian Advance Schemes Investment Frauds: How to Recognize And Avoid Rip-Offs In The Internet Age (Paperback)

"This book is about common financial swindles and scams directed at individual consumers..." (more)
Key Phrases: sweetheart scammers, escrow site, data brokers, Secret Service, Social Security, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Phishing. Spoofing. Spyware. Swoop and squat. Malicious spam. Chain letters. Ponzi schemes. ID theft. The Internet Era has created a whole class of frauds and schemes that separate people from their money. It's also given new life to older cons and scams. This book organizes various rip-offs by type and severity. Then it explains how each type of scam works -- and how an ordinary person can recognize it before getting taken in. Drawing on interviews with law enforcement experts, victims and even crooks, this book gives readers a state-of-the-art primer on financial crimes and the sleazy dealings that fall slightly short of illegal. It also uses real-life case studies of frauds, to show how they start and how they end -- all in a plain-English style that everyone can enjoy. And this book does more than just tell stories; it gives readers questions, checklists, worksheets and other tools to make sure they're not being scammed -- or to take the right actions if they have been.

About the Author

The Silver Lake Editors have been writing on topics in personal finance, insurance, security and risk management for two decades. Many of their books have been adapted as licensing and continuing education materials for professionals in the insurance, risk management and security fields. From the early 1990s, they started editing shorter books designed for consumers, and this is the 17th title in that series.

Product Details

• Paperback: 276 pages
• Publisher: Silver Lake Publishing (May 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563437864
• ISBN-13: 978-1563437861
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 4.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #64,382 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent and pragmatic book-advice that should not go unheeded, May 19, 2006

By	Norman Goldman "Editor of Bookpleasures.com" (Montreal) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

There is a well-known wise saying, Caveat Emptor, which is the Latin for Buyer Beware. In other words, when purchasing goods or services it is essential that the buyer take all precautions in examining the item or services they are purchasing.

The editors of the Silver Lake Publishers have produced an excellent and pragmatic book, Scams & Swindles: How to Recognize and Avoid Internet Era Rip-Offs that focuses on many of the common con tricks and scams that deceive individuals and consumers, particularly if we are involved in some way or another with the Internet-be it email or otherwise.
It is noteworthy to mention that although some of these scams seem to be relatively new, their modus operandi dates back hundreds of years in that they are based on the con artist's imagination and the victim's gullibility.

The book takes a very realistic look at Internet scams and lays bare important details pertaining to such frauds as eBay auctions, the Nigerian emails emanating from some fake high government official requesting the use of your bank account to transfer funds, scams that involve investment, business and banking, fake charities, sweetheart and Russian bride swindles, drugs and pharmaceuticals rip-offs.
The authors also include weighty specifics as to how Internet hackers operate and commit their crimes, as well as something that is becoming more common today- phishing. This basically is when you receive emails from a financial institution that cleverly resembles one you are presently dealing with and you are requested to provide some very personal information. A further variation of the same theme is that it may originate from a site that appears to be Ebay requesting your pin number and some other important data. Internet criminals have become even more sophisticated in their implementation of phishing, wherein an email, instant message or other Internet communication is sent to you in someone else's name. As the authors point out, it really boils down to a form of identity theft.

Other topics examined and that we are often subjected to in our daily use of the Internet are the nasty and very often annoying practices of spam and spyware. Spam today is not only restricted to pornography, it also involves get-rich-quick schemes or a miracle drugs. In fact, as the authors point out, a study by a British computer security firm, Clearswift Ltd, discovered in 2004 that finance spams topped the list of the most popular with 39%, whereas pornography was at the bottom of the list, 4.8%.

The authors have obviously done their research and they have completed an impressive job in putting together all of the information in a clear, upbeat and conversation style that present readers with valuable insights into the world of Internet crime.

The message is unmistakable, think twice before clicking something within the body of an email or giving out information to anyone and always bear in mind caveat emptor. Moreover, the authors' elaborate suggestions that appear throughout the book as to how to prevent problems should not go unheeded.

Norm Goldman, Editor Bookpleasures

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A basic primer packed with insights any Internet user should be aware of, September 4, 2006

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Scams & Swindles: How To Recognize And Avoid Internet Era Rip-Offs is a basic primer packed with insights any Internet user should be aware of. From Nigerian schemes and money laundering to phishing, id theft and investment frauds, Scams & Swindles covers method, purpose, and how to avoid becoming a victim. Mortgage fraud, spam and spyware receive insights too all with an eye to Internet dangers.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars no technical answer to phishing, June 22, 2006

By	W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The book is a hallmark of our current Internet experiences. The editors go through the various scams circulating on the Web. Like the Nigerian 419. Or the Russian/East European mail order brides. Or the fake prescription drugs. An amazing compendium of the darknet. Some readers may be scared off the net. But more likely, you will gain some protection simply by being aware of the book's advice.

One chapter is devoted to phishing. Where an email purports to be from a bank, and breathlessly urges you to log in to your account, to ascertain some important detail. Or the email might say it is from eBay or Paypal, with similar urgencies. The chapter is instructive for many readers. But please note that the editors do not offer anything in the way of a technical antiphishing solution. Their methods involve manual effort on your part. Alas, there will always be gullible or inexperienced users to fall prey to phishers.