Internet Scams
From the comfort of an internet user’s own home they truly have the world at their finger tips. They have access to a Global Market place through the internet. Cyberspace offers unlimited options for quick and easy ways to shop, find investment opportunities, communicate, and much more. Unfortunately however, in today’s world fraudsters also find the internet to be a quick and easy way to fool and rob unsuspecting surfers with false advertising and false promises. The fraudsters target those who do not know how to determine the validity of online offers and sales. According to the National Fraud Information Center (NFC) there were 36,802 complaints of internet fraud in 2002, and the complaints increased to 37,183 in 2003 (Internet Scams). This growing problem affects internet users everywhere, who can lose hundreds of dollars to these cunning, ruthless scam artists.
According to the NFC undelivered or misrepresented goods or services from auction websites made up 89% of scam complaints in 2003 (Internet Scams). In his article entitled “Sleaze Bay,” David Freedman explains why auction websites are so appealing for fraudsters: “As is true of much of the Web, the characteristics that make auction sites so appealing—anonymity, speed, low overhead, access to millions of people, lack of outside regulation, an ability to interact from a great distance—are the very same characteristics that make rip-offs so easy” (1). According to Freedman, sites such as E-bay may be subject to shill bidding; a practice against E-bay rules that is often illegal. Shill bidding involves a seller, their friends, family, or other sellers bidding to entice other bidders to join and raise their profits. This is based on the idea that “…bi...
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...ainst internet fraud.
Works Cited
Fleitas, Amy. Internet Spam Spawns Scams. Bankrate, Inc. 22, Apr. 2004 http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/advice/20021025b.asp
Freedman, David. “Sleaze Bay.” Forbes. (2000) : 5 pgs. 22 Apr. 2004 http://www.forbes.com/asap/2000/1127/134.html
FTC Names Its Dirty Dozen. Federal Trade Commission. 22 Apr. 2004 http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/doznalrt.htm
Hendersen, Les. Pyramid Schemes. 22 Apr. 2004 http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Crimes/Delivered/pyramids.htm
Internet Scams. National Fraud Information Center. 22 Apr. 2004 http://www.fraud.org/2003internetscams.pdf
Lanford, Jim and Audri. Internet ScamBusters. 22 Apr. 2004 http://www.scambusters.org/index.html
Online Shopping. Office of Fair Trading. 22 Apr. 2004 http://www.oft.gov.uk/Consumer/Your+Rights+When+Shopping+From+Home/Online+shopping.htm
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