scams and fraud alert

Use caution and common sense when dealing with any financial transaction. Here are some tips to protect against scams and frauds:

- NEVER wire funds to a distant buyer, via Western Union or any other carrier
-Be wary if the other party wants to use an escrow service such as BidPay or Squaretrade
-NEVER give out personal financial information (checking account number, SSN, eBay/PayPal info, etc.)
- trust your instincts, especially when a deal is "too good to be true"
- Be wary of offers that include a cashier's check, postal money order, Western Union, or escrow service (BidPay, Squaretrade, etc) especially if the amount is higher than the price, and the buyer is asking you to wire the balance back to them. Banks will often cash these FAKE CHECKS and then HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the FUNDS FAIL TO CLEAR!
-Scams often involved a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing money, etc.)

One of our doctors was recently involved in one of these scams. The doctor was contacted via email by a person who stated he was a "broker" and had a buyer for the adjusting table being sold. The scheme involved the broker mailing him a cashiers check if the doctor would wire money to the "shipping agent' to have them come and pick up the table.

If you think you have been scammed, contact the non-emergency number for your local police department -- they may be able to offer advice about your options or call the FTC hotline at 877-FTC-HELP.