Ding! You get an email from your bank reading that they need your Social Security number again. But didn't they just ask for it yesterday? And shouldn't they have it anyway? When the Internet offers a cyber marketplace for consumers who just don't want to drive to the mall, crooks see an opportunity for the green paper in your purse. Just a few years ago, internet scamming wasn't a crime, but now, the FBI has made it an "eCrime." From stealing your credit card's number to non-delivery purchase fraud, these pesky Internet locusts have found every way to take your money. They also provide ads with wallet appealing prices for, let's say, a pair of one hundred dollar shoes, or, that iPad Mini you really wanted. You see the ad, click on it and POOF! There goes the money you worked really hard on saving to spend. So the real question is what do you have to look out for when you make an Internet purchase? Well one is by far the most obvious-- overly reduced rates on something such as a Mac book Pro. They will also almost immediately ask for your credit card number in some cases. Some other signs can be an ad claiming that the item is available for a limited amount of time-- this generally motivates consumers to react impulsively, urging them to act without thinking it through. If the site does not give any contact information, or false addresses and/or phone numbers, there's no question about it-- just don't buy from there. Another vital question-- what should you do if you get scammed? For starters, you can try to stop the payment if possible. If you paid by personal check and did not get the goods you thought you were going to get, try to cancel the check as soon as you find out. Unfortunately, this isn't possible in most cases because the frauds have probably already pocketed the check. If you paid by credit card, you can try to dispute the charges with your credit card company. After that, cancel your card number. If you paid by U. S. postal order, let the Post Office know. They take postal scams very seriously. Well, there's that or you can report the crime. Taking money through scamming on the Internet is illegal, and although it seems as if the perpetrater has gotten away with your money, there are ways you can prevent it. You should report the scam immediately to law enforcement agencies so they have oppertunities to shut down the bogus opperation. You can also report this type of cybercrime to the FBI or the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). On the state level, you can report this to the office of the Attorney General. The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) was created to receive, develop, and refer criminal complaints reguarding cybercrime. Other recourses include the CyberCops, the National Fruad Investigation Center, and the Better Business Bereau.

Let's for a minute forget about dealing with cyber crimes-- how do you avoid these situations in the first place? Using trusted online consumer marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, or Sell.com could help for one. If you see a site with exceptionally low prices but you've never heard of this site before, don't buy. Or, if you're really miffed by these greedy money sucking thieves, avoid shopping online at all. It's much safer to hand the money in person-- even if it's Black Friday and you don't want to get run over by crazy shoppers. That way, your credit card won't end up in anyone's hands but yours or the cashiers. And after all, your money belongs in your wallet, not a crook's wallet.