Identity theft is a growing concern and scammers are finding new ways every day to get sensitive personal information on consumers. With that information they can run up charges on credit card accounts, deplete bank accounts and set up new accounts in the name of the victim.

AARP has an online seminar called Preventing Identity Theft. To take the course you will need a network connection of 56kps or faster and you must be using Internet Explorer 6 or higher, Netscape 7.2 or higher or an equivalent browser. I was able to take the course using the Firefox browser.

In this course, you will:

* Know what identity theft is
* Do a wallet check to protect yourself from identity theft
* Take steps to protect yourself from identity theft in your home and on the road
* Recognize early warnings of identity theft
* Take the first steps if you’re a victim of identity theft
* Have the numbers to call to get help or more information

For more information on the course go here

When you are ready to take the course, click on the link at the AARP page or click here.

Lottery and sweepstakes scams are increasing and more Americans are falling victim according to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission). The New York State Consumer Protection Board reports that in the last seven months alone, more than 400 New Yorkers have lost money on these scams.

Lottery and sweepstakes scams work by tricking the consumer into thinking he or she has won a large cash prize, but insist on collecting taxes or insurance from the victim before the prize can be issued. In some cases a bogus check is sent to the victim with instructions to deposit it and then wire a smaller amount of money to the operators of the scam. In a few days the bogus check has bounced, but the money the victim sent is gone forever. Worse, these scam artists now have all the information they need to set up credit accounts in the names of the victims. This information can be sold to other scam artists as well.

The FTC warns:

Don’t pay to collect sweepstakes winnings. If you have to pay to collect your winnings, you haven’t won anything. Legitimate sweepstakes don’t require you to pay “insurance,” “taxes” or “shipping and handling charges” to collect your prize.

Hold on to your money. Scammers pressure people to wire money through commercial money transfer companies like Western Union because wiring money is the same as sending cash. If you discover you’ve been scammed, the money’s gone, and there’s very little chance of recovery. Likewise, resist any push to send a check or money order by overnight delivery or courier. Con artists recommend these services so they can get to your money before you realize you’ve been cheated.

In South Salt Lake Utah, a 75-year-old woman chased down a purse-snatcher and recovered her stolen purse.

On Wednesday, Betty Horton was loading groceries into her car when she looked down and saw that her purse had been stolen. She spied a man running with it under his arm and chased him down the street until she came upon him looking into her open purse. Although she didn’t have a gun, she told him to give it back or she would shoot his ear off.

The man apologized and told Betty he was broke. Feeling sorry for him, Betty gave him $3 and warned him to leave. When police arrived he was gone.

Betty said she was wearing her running shoes.

Read the full story here.

The FDA has issued a warning to consumers not to buy prescription drugs online from certain Canadian websites that have orders filled by Mediplan Prescription Plus Pharmacy or Mediplan Global Health in Manitoba, Canada. This follows reports of counterfeit drug products being sold by these companies to US consumers.

Testing is ongoing but inital lab results have found counterfeits of the following drugs from these websites:

Lipitor
Diovan
Actonel
Nexium
Hyzaar
Ezetrol (Zetia)
Crestor
Celebrex
Arimidex
Propecia

The FDA warns that if consumers have purchased these prescription drugs online through these websites, they should not take them as they may be unsafe. The following websites are involved:

* www.RxNorth.com;
* www.Canadiandrugstore.com;
* www.Rxbyfax.com;
* www.Northcountryrx.com;
* www.Canada-pharmacy.com;
* www.My-canada-pharmacy.com;
* www.NLRX.com;
* www.Canampharmacy.com;
* www.Canada-Meds-For-Less.net; and
* www.Canadian-safe.com

The FDA cautions consumers purchasing medical supplies online. Although a website may look legitimate, the products it supplies may come from unreliable sources.