Posts Tagged ‘scams’
-
Ways to Avoid Interstate Moving Scams
planet antares scam solutions: Moving from one state to another is more common during a recession, as people take advantage of new job opportunities. Some unscrupulous moving companies also use these opportunities to scam unsuspecting people into paying two, three even four times as much for moving services as they quoted in their original estimates.Due to a series of federal deregulations in the 1980′s and 1990′s, the moving industry is largely unregulated. Though the moving industry is nominally under the jurisdiction of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, this agency has few resources to act on consumer complaints.
Many consumers find that moving companies will not honor their “binding estimates” and often ask for two or three times the original quote to deliver the consumer’s belongings after the freight has arrived at its destination. Consumers who don’t agree to pay the inflated charges find their goods stashed in a warehouse indefinitely. Consumers have few resources except to pay or abandon their possessions. Read the rest of this entry »
-
As Heating Season Approaches, Avoid Duct Cleaning Scams
Some homeowners look to improve the cleanliness and the air quality in their homes by having their ductwork cleaned. Unfortunately, ductwork-cleaning scams can cost unsuspecting consumers hundreds, or even thousands of dollars.According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there is no evidence to suggest that cleaning residential ductwork can prevent health problems. Further, there is no indication that dust in a home’s ductwork is distributed around the home when the system is working, or even that dirty ductwork is a home’s primary source of allergens and irritants.
Planet Antares Scam Solutions knows of a few situations that warrant duct cleaning. These include visible evidence of mold growth on the inside surfaces of the ductwork; infestation by insects or vermin; or debris buildup that may occur during home construction or renovation. In the case of mold growth, the entire heating and cooling system – not just the ductwork – should be cleaned. Failure to clean the entire system and correct the problems that enabled the mold growth in the first place will not prevent mold from re-growing in your ductwork. Read the rest of this entry »
-
Planet Antares Scam Solutions | How to Avoid Mystery Shopper Scams
You’ve seen the ads for “mystery shoppers.” They advertise the opportunity to shop anonymously and rate the shopping experience. The ads promise good pay for the undercover information the mystery shopper provides. It sounds like a quick way to make cash and get some excellent products at the same time.
Mystery shoppers shop on the company’s dime and write up a research report that detail’s his or her experience with the company being studied. Consumer businesses don’t usually run their own mystery shopper programs. Instead, they work with a mystery shopper company that provides shoppers and helps collect and report data. Read the rest of this entry »
-
Planet Antares Scam Solutions | How To Avoid Sweepstakes Complaints
The Ohio State Attorney General’s office says that state is on track to double the number of phony sweepstakes complaints it receives this year compared to 2009. The office has received more than 900 complaints this year regarding these scams, compared to 622 for all of 2009.Sweepstakes scams promise contestants the opportunity to win prizes or other valuables. In reality, the scams are designed to steal entrants’ money or personal information, making them subject to identity theft. Commonly, sweepstakes scams inform a potential victim that he or she has won the grand prize. In order to claim the prize, however, the winner must pay fees, taxes or other charges. Alternately, victims are told that they must supply their Social Security number or banking information to pay taxes on the winnings. Read the rest of this entry »
-
Planet Antares Scam Solutions | Tips To Avoid Forex Trading Scams
Foreign exchange currencies represent a type of highly risky investment that often leaves investors in a worse position than they were when they started. The premise of foreign exchange trading (Forex) is that the exchange values of currencies change at different rates. For example, you may exchange a certain amount of your local currency for a foreign currency. If the value of the foreign currency goes up while you’re holding it, you can re-convert it back to your original currency at a profit.Forex trading enables the investor to put down a relatively small amount of money and gain control of a much larger amount of currency, compliments of the investment house. If the value of the currency being traded rises, the investor gets a small portion of the profit he earned using the investment firm’s money. On the other hand, if the value of the currency drops, the investor may lose his entire investment (and more) because s/he will be required to repay the loss on the currency borrowed from the investment firm. Read the rest of this entry »
-
Planet Antares Scam Solutions | Avoiding Facebook “Dislike” Scam
Planet Antares Scam Solutions: Facebook "Dislike" Scam
One of the most popular features of Facebook is its “Like” button, where users can show support for comments, Web sites, products and posted materials. Facebook users have also asked for a “Dislike” button, but to date the service has not yet provided one. The social networking giant is now concerned that users may fall for a new scam that offers users a downloadable “Dislike” button. The only problem with that is the “Dislike” button is a scam.
Users who download the malware application, described as “the official Facebook ‘Dislike’ button” find that their accounts are used to send spam to their colleagues, friends and people in their Facebook community. Anyone can write a Facebook application and no special permission is needed to distribute one. Facebook says it has policies in place to deal quickly with malware applications, but in the mean time, users may find their accounts being used to distribute spam. Read the rest of this entry »
