Better Business Bureau

In the real world, most of us do our very best to be decent people. So when we get a call from someone who says that they're with a government agency, our default behavior setting is generally to be cooperative.

Baseball is back and outdoor concert season is just about to get started, so what better time for scam artists to get back to the seasonal con of selling fake ballgame and concert tickets to the unsuspecting fan?

I've been asked before why I write about scams in the Rockford area so often. Usually the question begins with something like "We don't really have that many scams going on in the Rockford area, do we?"

There have been scams around as long as humans have been around, which means that there are thousands of different ways for the unscrupulous among us to trick people out of their money.

Before we get into why you should be concerned and/or cautious about smishing, it might be a good idea to define the word for those who don't know a smish from a phish.

Of course it is. Because simply organizing, filling out, and filing your taxes isn't a big enough pain in the butt, we have tax scammers who are looking to tap into your funds and personal information.

Romance scams have grown exponentially over the last few years, and they show no signs of slowing down. It's amazing to look at the amount of money that's been scammed from people who are just looking for love.

Facebook quizzes are basically time-killers. You've got a few minutes, so why not take a quiz to see which Beatle you are, which dog is the perfect match for you, or how well you can score with some trivia, right?

Hey, thanks for clicking here. Before we get started, I should let you know that I've been trying to reach you regarding your car's warranty, and how I can help protect you from costly repair bills...

You've got to appreciate consistency. In a world where things are constantly being disrupted, postponed, and cancelled, the people who prey on others sure aren't locking themselves down.