Scam City

I'll preface this by pointing out that anything you read on this page is simply my opinion.

No statement is intended to be construed as authorititive, suggestive or even loosely knowledgeable about the alleged business practices of firms imagined or real.

Just remeber that your nose is usually the best indicator of the integrity of the kind of free-eterprise being practiced at a place of business.

1) Nobody ever needs your personal email address if they don't know you. If you plan on interacting with the public, sign up for a free Hotmail account, and give THAT out as your address.

2) You can trust a few people on the internet. Invariably they're the ones who aren't trying to sell you anything or offer you help with some complicated legal work you'd usually have to have a professional licensed attorney handle. If you need to copyright something, all the information you need is at the Copyright Office. Another handy agency is the US Patent & Trademark Office. Usually if you have a piece of intellectual property to protect, these are the places to start.

3) Scams are a dime a dozen. Don't be fooled by slick looking pages that seem to offer top-flight services at bargain-basement rates. Even well-known advertisements are known to dupe unwary viewers. The Federal Trade Commission prosecutes hucksters day and night. Take a look at their list of recent scams and you'll see what I mean.

4) There's more medical scams out there than all the rest put together. Before you buy in to some new miracle cure be sure to check out Stephen Barrett's Quackwatch.

5) What kind of monkey-business is really going on at the pump? Get the straight dope from the guys who run the show at Alexander's Gas & Oil Connections.

The old saying Caveat Emptor (may the buyer beware) is as alive and well as its ever been.