Beware of $12,000 Stimulus Check & Other Scams, Says Kiplinger's

This item from the folks at Kiplinger's caught my attention:

"Will the Treasury Department really issue stimulus checks of $12,000? No—but some con artists would like you to believe so. Crooks miss no opportunity to take your money—and began plotting stimulus-related schemes as soon as the law was passed in February. In “Watch Out for Stimulus Scams,” Kiplinger’s Personal Finance contributing editor Kim Lankford uncovers the most common cons and offers tips to avoid them:

· $12,000 Government Grant. This ad says you can order a CD or access a special Web site that will show you how to get a $12,000 government grant—if you make a small credit-card payment. But the fine print shows that you’re also signing up for recurring credit-card charges that can be tough to get out of. The Better Business Bureau found that people who signed up for this advice were charged as much as $69.95 every month on their credit or debit cards.

· Warning of Stimulus Forfeit. The crook sends an e-mail claiming to be from the IRS, warning that if you don’t respond promptly (often with your bank-account information), you’ll forfeit your stimulus money. The IRS does not contact taxpayers by e-mail and never asks for PINs, passwords, or secret access information for credit cards or bank accounts. If you click on a link in the message, you could be directed to a phishing Web site, which the crook created to collect personal information.

So, how can you protect yourself?
1) File a Complaint. If you’ve received a fraudulent email, file a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center and the Federal Trade Commission.
2) Do A Company Background Check. Check out companies and learn about recent scams at the Better Business Bureau's Web site.
3) Visit the FBI. Read warnings about e-mail hoaxes and phishing scams on the FBI’s Cyber Investigations Web site." --source Kiplinger's Personal Finance

Here's a link to full article about stimulus scams.

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($)1,000 Reasons for Guarding Your Cell Phone

My father asked me to write this post with 1,000 reasons why we should act promptly after noticing that a cell phone is missing and 1,000 reasons why we should all be careful with our cell phones in public places.

The Scenario: Over the past weekend, my Dad lost his cell phone in a South Beach restaurant. My folks -- who were in town to celebrate my son's Bar Mitzvah -- noticed that one of their cell phones was missing after 10 minutes.

The Action: Immediately, my Dad hit the spin control cycle. He tried to call the phone. But the "new owners" had already turned off the ringer and the calls were going straight to voice mail. My Dad immediately reported the phone missing and had the service terminated.

The Need for Speed Dialing: "The last time we lost a phone, we didn't miss it right away. And in a day and a half, the thieves charged up over $1,000 by calling overseas," my Dad says. Apparently, the number and the phone were quickly peddled to a variety of users. As such, my Dad's cell phone became a traveling pay phone for some dubious entrepreneur. That cell phone hustle gave my father 1,000 reasons for speed dialing when faced with a similar scenario. This time, my parents did not take any chances or waste time hoping that the phone would show up quickly.

The Bottom Line: If you misplace a cell phone in your home, you may have the luxury of playing Hide-and-Seek. In such a private and contained setting, perhaps only the dust mites will eat into your phone bill. But if your cell phone goes MIA in a public setting, take immediate action or else you'll face an expensive game of Tag-You're-It. Here's a great article about lost cell phones from PCWorld: If You Lose Your Cell Phone

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The Frugal Sampler: Free Newspapers, Tea & Gyms: Theft or Fair?

What's theft? What's fair? What about those free copies of the WSJ in hotel lobbies? Is it ethical for me -- on a R&R walk -- to pop in at the Four Points by Sheraton and enjoy the Wall Street Journal or USA Today in the hotel lobby?

This post was sparked by the recent drama around a pop star who recently stole a lighter. I'm not giving her problems anymore space, but that pop star's chutzpah and theft prompted me to think of the scenarios, questions and doubts I face. As I try to live frugally, I also want to avoid stepping over ethical lines.

1. Free copies of the Wall Street Journal. I live near a long string of beach-front hotels and many of them cater to business travelers. My parents often stay at these resorts and of course, during those times, I help myself to the newspapers. I think of us as extended-stay family. But when my parents have checked out, is it still okay (ethical) to stop by the lobby, hang out and enjoy the newspapers? There is always a stack of unread newspapers and it's so tempting.

2. Free DIY coffee and tea cart: Same lobby scenario.

3. Free chocolates: The Ghirardelli shop near my home passes out free chocolates. Is it fair to be a habitual sampler? I use restraint: One chocolate per weekend visit. But is it fair to accept the free handouts if I rarely make a purchase?

4. Networking at the Apple store. The Apple store near me has several lanes of display computers. A lot of consumers have fun with the graphics and other functions on the display models, which are also online. Is it fair to use the Internet connection to check email or Google something?

5. Children's drinks at Starbucks. My son, age 12, loves to buy the children's version of Starbucks drinks. The size and price (cheaper than the regular version) are perfect for me. Is it ethical to order the children's drink for myself?

6. Children's menu at restaurants: When we go out to restaurants, I look at the price and portions on the children's menu with envy. Is it fair to order a kiddie meal for an adult? Is it fair if one of my kids wants something from the adult's menu and I order from the children's menu? Is that swap fair?

7. Gym membership: A number of gyms offer free passes for a day, a week or a month and there are lots of gyms in my area. Is it fair to shop around and hop from gym to gym until I make up my mind? What if I never make up my mind and just keep gym hopping?

8. Permanent gym guest: Several friends have memberships at area gyms. They can always bring a free guest. They've offered. Is it fair to be a permanent (free) tag along?

WWYD? If you have time, please send me an email (sharonhr@bellsouth.net ) or leave a comment. Thanks!

Recent Posts:

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Looking for Sea Cows: My Daughter's Frugal Play Date
Yesterday:
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Special Welcome to NBA.Com/Heat Fans

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Britney Steals Lighter: Other Items the Rest of Us "Borrow"

Britney Spears has allegedly stolen a lighter from a Chevron gas station store, according to People magazine. She's not alone: Many of us, aware or not aware, have tapped into the five-finger discount. Here's how:



1. Borrowed, but did not return a pen or pencil at a bank, customer service desk or grocery store. For me, this little theft works like this: "May I borrow that for a minute?" I sign the card, check or document and then mindlessly slip the pen or pencil into my pocket. Oooops. I am now making a big effort to return a pen right after I've used it.



2. Buffet extras: Sure it's all you can eat, but not all you can take away. Taking a to-go platter from a buffet is stealing unless you've asked the manager for permission or have paid for take-out. Amy Dacyczyn addresses this issue in the Tightwad Gazette.



3. Condiments and sugar to go. A few restaurants in Florida have a lock-down on their Splenda. When the yellow packets are out on the table, people swipe Splenda by the fistfuls. Putting lots of sugar/sweetener in your coffee is fine, but preparing a sweet take-out package may also qualify as a five-finger discount.



4. Unfair use of children's discounts: It's so expensive to go to out. For example, at Disney, adult prices kick in at age 10 or 11, which means that I pay adult fares for my sons, including my 12-year-old, who still looks very young. But it's wrong to pass kids, teens and tweens off as younger in order to qualify for cheaper tickets for theme parks, movies or other events.



5. Under the radar cable hook-ups or electric connections. A few families were busted in South Florida a few years ago for using a bypass connection for their electricity. Somehow, they were able to rig-up some connection or fix the meter so that they could light up their homes without paying for the juice. Ditto with cable connections. Personally, I prefer to watch tv on the Internet. (How I Get Cable Shows For Free)



6. Jumping the line: When we cut into any line: at a theme park, bank or movie, we are actually stealing time from the people behind us.



7. Goldbricking. Okay, most of us have done this. But if you're shopping on company time or writing the Great American Novel when you should be proofreading a company report, you are stealing time from the company.

Here is another version, with photos, of the alleged lighter theft:
Britney Spears Steals A Lighter From The Gas Station

Here are links to my other Britney stories:



Britney & Celebrity Economics: The Perfume & Cents of Fame

Britney's DIY Haircut & $500 Emergency Funds: My Weird & Frugal News Wrap

Advice for Britney Spears: Go Frugal; Cover Your Assets & Learn from JLo

Off Topic Rant: Leave Britney Alone



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Digg!

The Frugal Duchess Booktique
The Frugal Duchess of Beauty Store

Book Shop of Fear
The Poetry & Drama Queen
Frugal Jazz & Blues
Frugal Comic Book Connection
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