Dennis Horton

This scam seems to perform like clockwork. Whenever we get extremes in temperatures in either direction here in Northern Illinois and electricity use goes up, so do the attempts to trick people into paying something that they don't owe.

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.

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.

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...

Maybe you don't do any online shopping whatsoever, and therefore have nothing to fear from those who swipe packages off of front porches in and around Rockford.

One of the worst but most effective scams to thrive under pandemic conditions has been the puppy scam. It really kicked into gear during the many lockdowns because more people were home, but even with less restrictions, it's still going strong.

Look, the cold, hard fact is that scammers are looking to screw you over 12 months out of the year. However, the holiday season always brings out more bad actors than the rest of the year, without fail.