Common Scams
As stated before Scams have been around for centuries and have been all around the world not just Greece or America. On this page you will learn about some of the most common scams that are around in the 21st century, as well as some scams that are weird, funny or just plain ridiculous and will make you wonder how people even fell for some of these scams.
Internet Services
Reports related to internet services may cover fraudulent interactions with websites that sell content, online advertisements, online payment services, video games, virtual reality and social networks. The fraud reports can also stem from internet service providers that mislead consumers about the cost, speed or access of their service.
Prizes, Sweepstakes and Lotteries
Scammers might buy online advertisements or contact you directly and say that you’ve won a prize, sweepstakes or lottery. They could ask for your name, address, Social Security number or other personal information—claiming that they need it to send you the winnings.
Health Care
The health care fraud category includes misleading and deceptive claims about medical and health-related products and services. These could include scams related to diet products, cures for diseases, prescription drugs, everyday supplements, tests and medical equipment.
Nigerian prince scam
The Nigerian prince scam is a well-known form of email fraud where scammers pose as foreign royalty, wealthy officials, or individuals tied to a large inheritance. It’s most famously associated with someone pretending to be a Nigerian prince, but it isn’t limited to that scenario. To get the money, the victim must first pay a series of “processing fees,” “taxes,” or “legal costs.” Normally, these payments start small but increase over time as the scammer invents new hurdles. Sometimes the victim is even asked to provide sensitive banking details. Eventually, the scammer disappears, leaving the victim empty-handed.
The Man Who Sewed Goat Testicles into People
John Brinkley was awarded his medical degree by a disreputable diploma mill—was one of a kind. His methodology for restoring virility in men took more from science-fiction than modern medicine. In the early 20th century, Brinkley pushed a procedure in which he implanted goat testicles into humans while insisting the surgery cured impotence, infertility, and even excessive flatulence. Brinkley’s absurd “treatment” seduced plenty of patients seeking remedy for such issues, paying the Kansas resident as much as $750 (over $10,000 today)
The World’s Littlest Skyscraper
Local legend has it that in 1919, a building in Wichita Falls, Texas, was constructed after an investor named J.D. McMahon convinced residents he was going to build a massive property stretching far in the air. After collecting $200,000, he erected a building that was just four stories tall, 10 feet wide, and 16 feet deep—the measurement in the paperwork was in inches instead of feet, an important detail overlooked by investors.
McMahon ran off with his windfall; the resulting embarrassment was dubbed “the world’s littlest skyscraper” and even drew the attention of Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, which made it a local curio that’s still standing today.
