Unbelievable! Take a Peek at our Outrageous Scams File

Here at Scambusters, scores of con-trick stories, every one of them a tale of woe, pass across our desk every week, but every so often the scale or the audacity of a con trick qualifies it for our outrageous scams file.

Think, for example, of one of the biggest scams of all time, the $50 billion Ponzi scheme perpetrated by Bernard Madoff.

That may be at the extreme of the spectrum but in the past few years alone there have been plenty more shocking scams.

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©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.

Reprinted with permission.

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ID Theft Dominates Top Scams Nationwide

It seems there's no prospect of identity theft being knocked from the Number 1 slot in our annual list of top scams.

Based on our own research and published statistics, our Top 10 for 2013 shows phishing and ID theft holding that position by a huge margin.

And, sadly, we confidently expect it to remain there in 2014 too.

But while this and many other scams stay in our charts year after year, the con tricks that underpin them are constantly changing, which means we can never let our guard down.

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©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.

Reprinted with permission.

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Software Pirates Launch Malware Armada

Sometimes, people who don't care about foolishly breaking the law buy pirated software -- illegal copies or totally fake products.

But other times, innocent computer users may be duped into buying these fakes without realizing it.

Either way, users of pirated programs now face an extra dose of punishment, in addition to what the law may mete out, in the form of nasty malware, as we explain in this week's issue.

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©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.

Reprinted with permission.

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GET READY TO BE INSPIRED

It's natural to become contemplative at this time of year, as you look back at what you've accomplished. Unfortunately, it can also become a time to look at what you HAVEN'T accomplished, and feel regret, frustration, or even shame about it. This can lead to lowered self-esteem, decreased motivation, and even depression. These are not the best conditions for a strong start next year!

A period of contemplation does not have to lead to focusing on your failures or beating yourself up. Instead, it can be a positive, nurturing time that energizes and inspires you for the next phase. Here are five suggestions for turning your yearend review into a powerful launch platform for you and your business in the new year.

1. Don't be afraid to take stock. If looking back sometimes brings up negative feelings, you may have developed the habit of avoiding it, or at least not looking too closely. Reassure yourself that this time you are going to review the past in a positive light, so there's no reason to fear it. There is much to be gained from studying results and events you weren't pleased with. Be willing to put on your detective cap and take out your magnifying glass.

2. Acknowledge what you've done right. Review what you did and didn't do over the past year, and what happened as a result. Keep track of everything you did right. If you hoped to earn $100,000 this year, but you brought in only $85,000, note that you earned an impressive 85% of your goal, not that you fell $15,000 short.

One of my coaching clients came to a December session sad and frustrated that she hadn't completed her book, and feeling like she should give up. Half an hour later, she recognized that for the first time ever, she had set aside time in her busy life to work on her book, and had written almost 100 pages. Instead of feeling defeated, she felt enthusiastic about her book-writing future.

3. Seek out your strengths. Look over your inventory of what you did right this year, and determine what personal strengths of yours made those actions possible. Did you show persistence in following up with prospective clients? Creativity in writing copy about your services? Courage in attending live networking events? List all the strengths you notice.

Look for strengths in how you responded to what happened this year even when the results were not what you desired. Did you display open-mindedness when prospective clients told you why they didn't accept your proposal? Did you show determination when you got back on the phone after being rejected? Adversity often brings out more strengths than success does. Make note of them all.

4. Lock in what you've learned. With all that has happened this year, what have you learned about yourself and the world around you? Focus on the positive. If you didn't land enough clients this year, what did you learn from the clients you DID get about what works for you in marketing and what your strengths are? Did your earnings take a dip in the 4th quarter? What did you do in the 3rd quarter that worked better for you, and what strengths showed up then?

5. Plan for the future, not the past. If you didn't get all that you wanted in your business this year, all the more reason to leave the past behind. Make your plans based on who you are becoming, not who you have been.

Review your list of what you did right this year. Impressive! How can you include more of those activities in the year to come? What will all that productive action make possible for you? Look at your inventory of strengths. Wow! What will that talented person be capable of?

A shiny, brand new year is right around the corner. You have the power to make it anything you want it to be. Just do what you already know works, take advantage of your strengths, and get ready to be inspired.

Copyright © 2013, C.J. Hayden

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"Slider" Theft, Unsafe PINs and Advance Fee Scams

You'd think we would have exhausted all the variations of the advance fee scam by now. But you'd be wrong.

As we've reported many times, this trick involves sending a victim a check as upfront payment for a product or service, with a request that part of the sum should be returned or passed on to a supposed third party who is somehow involved in the deal.

The victim banks the check, wires the sum requested, then learns the check is a dud, and they are out by however much they sent on to the other person, who is, of course the scammer.

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©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.

Reprinted with permission.

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http://www.scambusters.org