But resist you must. These are just a few examples of the kinds of fraudulent schemes Americans run across every day. Taking your money is the number-one goal of the nation's scamming scoundrels. And still more want a check or cash as soon as possible by overnight delivery, by wire or even by courier, so they have their money before you have them figured out. Among the major scams of the 90's, are postcard sweepstakes offers.
False charities are another popular consumer con.
Telephone troublemakers claiming to represent everyone from police officers to the disabled take advantage of Americans' generosity to the tune of billions of dollars each year. What you can do In the face of this onslaught of fraud, the best course for consumers is to beware. If you're calling a 900 number in response to an advertisement or something you received in the mail, make sure you know all the charges up front. Before you agree to support a charity that calls seeking money, ask for written information about its finances and programs. Consumer fraud is a crime.