Scam artists coming out of the woodwork
I've blogged often about financial scams targeting the elderly. According to this MSNBC article, the scams are spreading in the general population:
Be careful who you ask for help -- a new wave of scams is targeting anyone suffering during the tough economy. Those who investigate or study fraud said normally, the economically challenged or elderly are easy targets for scammers, but now those scammers are casting a wider net, and some might make you doubt who you can trust. The growing number of scammers is unfortunate, but predictable. Last year, I represented a family who were threatened with eviction. Unfortunately, the foreclosure sale had already occurred before they came to see me for help. Before the foreclosure, they had received an official looking notice from a copy that they believed was affiliated with the lender, a national bank. They sent the company over $1,500 with the belief it would be forwarded to the lender along with a workout proposal for modifying the mortgage note. Unfortunately, it was a fly by night operation that preyed on unsuspecting homeowners facing foreclosure. The lender received none of the money and the family was out of money they desperately needed.