I work in a line of work where I have to help people who have suffered from scams a lot. So I thought I would pass on some thoughts to people here, to maybe prevent you from having these scams take money or time from you. Oh, and as much as some of these seem obvious ... people fall for them daily and constantly.
1. An American Citizen can not win a foriegn lottery. So if you get someone who contacts you, by email, letter or phone. Telling you that you have won, this is a scam and you should hang up on them and immediately block them. If they send you a check, do not put in your banking account. As this will be seen as fraud and could lead to account closure and prevention of being able to open another account for up to seven years.
2. If anyone from the Nigerian Royal family contacts you with hope that you will assist them in moving money around. It is a complete scam! There is no Nigerian Royal Family, and if there was they would not be asking thousands of foriegn American citizens to move money around for them.
3. If someone offers to pay you for a job, such as baby sitting a dog or any other animal while they are on vacation. 1. Have you met the people in person and know them? 2. Does it make sense to you that they are willing to hire you at such a large amount, sight unseen? 3. Why would they send you a check, and then ask you to send part of it back?
4. Iraqi Dinar is a scam! If you know someone who got caught up in decade old mess, do not follow them in to this hole! It will always be a "I have evidence is is revalueing next month" solution that leads to no where. Anyone in this scam, is often very defensive. But hold a special place on my sucker list. As it is one of the most stupid and yet defended scam by those who were victimized from it.
5. If you are selling a car, jewelry, wedding dress or pretty much anything on Craigslist and someone contact you will a too good to be true offer. One that had them sending someone to pick up the item from you and haviing a willingness to pay large amounts more then you asked? Say no! Also, if they want you to ship it to them and send you a check? Go to the bank it was written off and cash there first! Do not deposit in to your own account! Make sure you have solid cash in hand before sending anything out.
Overall lesson, nothing that sounds to be good to be true ... is true! If you want to get rich, go out and work work work or invent something the world wants and copyright it and sale it! People out there are really dishonest and most are not even in our country when they make these contacts. Oh, and the police will not be able to get your money back and you will be out the money with no help.
.... as an added thought. If you have a time share in Mexico and someone contacts you to help you sell it, research it!!!! One of the new rip offs making crooks millions.