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Tribune Newspapers
Con artists and fraudsters are standing by.
Whether it's a new Internet scam or an old standby repackaged, the Connecticut Better Business Bureau and the state's Department of Consumer Protection advise consumers to beware. Read the fine print, check credentials and remember what your mother told you:
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Here are a few to look out for:
Getting schooled
With a scarcity of jobs, many people are trying to improve their skills or education. But several state residents have been duped out of hundreds of dollars by online schools that aren't accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.
In an effort to obtain a high school diploma, an East Haven, Conn., woman was relieved of several hundred dollars by an online diploma mill, said Howard Schwartz, a spokesman for the Connecticut chapter of the BBB. When the woman applied for a job, she was told the diploma wasn't acceptable, Schwartz said.
"She was embarrassed. But she was also angry and asking, `How can this type of thing happen? How can a school like this legally operate?' " Schwartz said.
While many online educational programs and schools are legitimate, the Better Business Bureau reports that four online firms that offer high school and college-level diplomas have been the target of 117 consumer complaints in 40 states:
Belfordhighschool.com and Belforduniversity.org. Consumers report that they paid from $674 to $1,400 for everything from high school diplomas to doctoral degrees. But when they presented their degrees to military recruiters and college admission boards, their credentials were rejected. The Web sites claim students can earn their chosen degree by completing an online test or relating "life experiences."
Jeffersonhighschoolonline.com and vencerhighschoolonline.com. Consumers complained that the diplomas, for which they paid $200, were not accepted by legitimate sources.
Beware of degree programs that require very little work or that issue diplomas based on "life experience," and prices that are based on the completed degree rather than per credit hour, said Paulette Scarpetti, president of the Connecticut BBB.
For a list of accredited post-secondary schools compiled by the U.S. Department of Education, visit ope.ed.gov/accreditation.
Quick and easy
Unless the phrase "quick and easy" relates to a recipe for buttered toast, beware. These types of schemes can involve everything from earning vocational credentials online to working at home with the promise of a hefty paycheck. Several state residents have fallen victim to the come-on, Scarpetti said.
"Make $1,000 a week addressing envelopes at home!" This old scam has been updated to include making money sending e-mail or messages on Twitter, Scarpetti said.
Typically, victims report receiving unsolicited e-mails that read: "Twitter workers needed ASAP. ... As seen on USA Today, CNN and ABC," or "Tweet at home and earn hundreds of dollars a day."
In one case, a victim reported that an e-mail had a link to EasyTweetProfits.com, "which offers a free seven-day trial for an instructional CD-ROM for $1.95 to cover shipping," Scarpetti said.
But the "trial period" begins the day the CD is ordered, and if you don't cancel within seven days, the company bills your credit card $47 a month, she said. Beware of job offers that advertise big returns for little effort, the BBB advises.
In an economy marked by leagues of job seekers, employment scams are rampant. BBBs around the country say consumers have been duped by online classified ads involving job placement firms that guarantee clients a job once they pay a fee, sometimes hundreds of dollars. The outfits then take the money and run.
Legitimate employment agencies and headhunters "do not charge upfront fees to help find a job but are instead paid by companies ... or by the job hunter once employment is secured," the BBB notes.
Pay close attention to unsolicited e-mail from supposed employers, Scarpetti advises. Even if the company's name appears familiar, do not click on links within the correspondence until you've vetted the company and verified the e-mail originated from a legitimate source.
Dirty sweeps
Winter is just around the corner, and there's nothing like a warm, cozy fire. Con artists know it too. Scams involving chimney sweeping and repairs are rampant this time of year, said Jerry Farrell Jr., the state's consumer protection commissioner.
Here's how to avoid getting "cleaned out," Farrell said:
Don't hire a chimney sweep who just shows up at your door.
Be suspicious if a chimney sweep offers you an extremely low price. He may be trolling for repair work.
Before approving repairs, contact a local building official to find out whether the project requires a building permit, Farrell said.
jpodsada@tribune.com
Con artists and fraudsters are standing by.
Whether it's a new Internet scam or an old standby repackaged, the Connecticut Better Business Bureau and the state's Department of Consumer Protection advise consumers to beware. Read the fine print, check credentials and remember what your mother told you:
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Here are a few to look out for:
Getting schooled
With a scarcity of jobs, many people are trying to improve their skills or education. But several state residents have been duped out of hundreds of dollars by online schools that aren't accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.
In an effort to obtain a high school diploma, an East Haven, Conn., woman was relieved of several hundred dollars by an online diploma mill, said Howard Schwartz, a spokesman for the Connecticut chapter of the BBB. When the woman applied for a job, she was told the diploma wasn't acceptable, Schwartz said.
"She was embarrassed. But she was also angry and asking, `How can this type of thing happen? How can a school like this legally operate?' " Schwartz said.
While many online educational programs and schools are legitimate, the Better Business Bureau reports that four online firms that offer high school and college-level diplomas have been the target of 117 consumer complaints in 40 states:
Belfordhighschool.com and Belforduniversity.org. Consumers report that they paid from $674 to $1,400 for everything from high school diplomas to doctoral degrees. But when they presented their degrees to military recruiters and college admission boards, their credentials were rejected. The Web sites claim students can earn their chosen degree by completing an online test or relating "life experiences."
Jeffersonhighschoolonline.com and vencerhighschoolonline.com. Consumers complained that the diplomas, for which they paid $200, were not accepted by legitimate sources.
Beware of degree programs that require very little work or that issue diplomas based on "life experience," and prices that are based on the completed degree rather than per credit hour, said Paulette Scarpetti, president of the Connecticut BBB.
For a list of accredited post-secondary schools compiled by the U.S. Department of Education, visit ope.ed.gov/accreditation.
Quick and easy
Unless the phrase "quick and easy" relates to a recipe for buttered toast, beware. These types of schemes can involve everything from earning vocational credentials online to working at home with the promise of a hefty paycheck. Several state residents have fallen victim to the come-on, Scarpetti said.
"Make $1,000 a week addressing envelopes at home!" This old scam has been updated to include making money sending e-mail or messages on Twitter, Scarpetti said.
Typically, victims report receiving unsolicited e-mails that read: "Twitter workers needed ASAP. ... As seen on USA Today, CNN and ABC," or "Tweet at home and earn hundreds of dollars a day."
In one case, a victim reported that an e-mail had a link to EasyTweetProfits.com, "which offers a free seven-day trial for an instructional CD-ROM for $1.95 to cover shipping," Scarpetti said.
But the "trial period" begins the day the CD is ordered, and if you don't cancel within seven days, the company bills your credit card $47 a month, she said. Beware of job offers that advertise big returns for little effort, the BBB advises.
In an economy marked by leagues of job seekers, employment scams are rampant. BBBs around the country say consumers have been duped by online classified ads involving job placement firms that guarantee clients a job once they pay a fee, sometimes hundreds of dollars. The outfits then take the money and run.
Legitimate employment agencies and headhunters "do not charge upfront fees to help find a job but are instead paid by companies ... or by the job hunter once employment is secured," the BBB notes.
Pay close attention to unsolicited e-mail from supposed employers, Scarpetti advises. Even if the company's name appears familiar, do not click on links within the correspondence until you've vetted the company and verified the e-mail originated from a legitimate source.
Dirty sweeps
Winter is just around the corner, and there's nothing like a warm, cozy fire. Con artists know it too. Scams involving chimney sweeping and repairs are rampant this time of year, said Jerry Farrell Jr., the state's consumer protection commissioner.
Here's how to avoid getting "cleaned out," Farrell said:
Don't hire a chimney sweep who just shows up at your door.
Be suspicious if a chimney sweep offers you an extremely low price. He may be trolling for repair work.
Before approving repairs, contact a local building official to find out whether the project requires a building permit, Farrell said.
jpodsada@tribune.com
