Five Recession Scams to Avoid

Of course we should avoid all scams, but these are the unethical scams that are see most often these days.
 
1. Government grants scam
Pop-ups and ads on the Internet depicting President Barack Obama holding a check appear to lend some credence to the government grant scams. The government's stimulus package and bailouts also fuel the false impression that money's available for the asking.
 
2. Instant credit repair
It's no secret that credit is tight right now and getting approved for a loan is much more difficult than it was two years ago. So when these perpetrators say they can raise your FICO score, the nation's most widely used credit score, that's tempting.
 
3. Cash-for-gold scam
Offers abound to pay you for your unwanted gold, silver or platinum -- usually jewelry. You're told to place it in an envelope provided by the company and mail it in. In return, the company says it will send you the cash value of the gold within 24 hours.
 
4. Mystery shopping scam
The victim answers a newspaper or Internet ad asking for mystery shoppers. He or she is sent a training assignment and a cashier's check for a few thousand dollars. The assignment letter tells the mystery shopper to cash the check at the bank, go to a certain retail store and write a report on the cleanliness and service.
 
5. Social networking scams
In this, someone builds a friendship with you on a social networking Web site such as Facebook or MySpace, becoming your "online friend."
 
http://www.bankrate.com/nltrack/news/pf/20090701-scams-in-the-recession-a3.asp