Sedona AZ (December 22, 2017) – As we enter this holiday season, we want to remind you that scams are constantly evolving and going in and out of fashion. Here is a list to remind you of scams that we will call the “top 10.”
1. Natural disaster scams
Scammers are always the real “first responders” with charity scams and assistance scams related to natural disasters such as hurricanes/fire/floods. This scam could also be scam charities looking for small donations to help with gifts for poor children.
2. Phony lottery scams
It is hard to win a lottery, particularly one that you have not entered and yet phony lottery scams continue to be one of the most commonly used and effective scams.
3. Ransomware
Ransomware by which all of the data in your computer is locked due to unwittingly downloaded malware has become one of the most common scams in the world threatening individuals, businesses and government agencies.
4. Employment scams
Employment scams, work at home scams and other job opportunities are a major scam.
5. Tech support scams
Phony tech support scams perpetrated by pop-ups on your computer or telephone calls are a major current scam. The scammer convinces the victim to pay for unnecessary and possibly dangerous phony tech support.
6. Robo calls
Automated computer generated fraudulent telemarketing robo calls are now the top consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission.
7. Income tax identity theft
Income tax identity theft is a multi-billion-dollar problem. It occurs when an identity thief files a phony income tax return using your Social Security number and gets an income tax return based on a counterfeit W-2. It can also tremendously delay receiving your legitimate income tax refund.
8. Investment scams
Investment scams of varying kinds, such as the infamous pump-and-dump scam are a continuing threat to everyone.
9. Government grant scams
Emails, text messages or advertisements promoting phony government grants for which victims are lured into paying fees represent a popular scam at this time.
10. Phishing scam
The most dangerous malware downloaded by people on to their computers and smartphones is almost always unwittingly downloaded through socially engineered phishing emails and text messages.
REMEMBER, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
Read www.SedonaEye.com for daily news and interactive views!
I have two to add :
City of Sedona Scam. You vote to have a city and the promoters say it will preserve small town values and obtain more taxes from the state. Later the city is used to give grants and deals to their friends and then your taxes and fees are HIGHER than if you did not have a city.
Home Rule Scam: Like most government deals it means the opposite of what it actually implies. Under Home Rule Sedona spends about twice what it would under the state limitation that Home Rule allows it to ignore. Want lower taxes, vote no on Home rule.
IMO @Tony T, you scored at least a ten on your assessment of City of Sedona Scam. However, those in power have such a stronghold on local government that any efforts for changes will be dealt with using past guerrilla tactics, outside money, and whatever it take to defeat anyone who dares to go against them. It will take some crafty moves to make changes and are there enough to actually make it happen? Many people are fed up, complain, but sit complacently by and exert no effort to implement the changes you suggest. Very sad but true.
Oh tell us ole wise one Tony T
Save on what taxes…..you keep on talking about savings on taxes.
How does that work tell us specifically.
What will we save on
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/police-arrest-alleged-nigerian-prince-email-scammer-in-louisiana/ar-BBHvlQd?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartandhp
Come on TonyT give it a rest. One of the biggest scams in this town is TonyT!
You push and push and push your personal opinions as fact when in reality what you say is strictly OPINION!
Your opinions-
City of Sedona Scam. You vote to have a city and the promoters say it will preserve small town values and obtain more taxes from the state.
TonyT please produce any official document that says that by voting to
incorporate we would obtain more taxes from the state.
So you are telling me the people promoting the city of Sedona did not know:
They would get some of the state Vehicle License fees?
Some money from the state collected as Library district, flood control district?
Sales tax collected on your cable bill, utility bill, water bill, and nearly everything you buy?
If they wanted to promote small town values they have failed.
So since you refuse to give your name and probably work for the city, why did they form a city? To give you a cushy job? I know how that’s how it turned out, but I don’t think that was a selling point.
I am not Tony.
Those that pushed incorporation was after both city sales tax and state revenues.
The link to Office of State Treasurer is
https://aztreasury.gov/local-govt/revenue-distributions/cities-and-towns/
Here is the list
CITIES AND TOWNS
Cities and Towns
City Sales Tax
Highway User Revenue Fund
Highway User Revenue Fund – 3%
Joint Training Partnership
Local Transportation Assistance Fund
Local Transportation Assistance Fund – Vehicle License Tax (LTAF–VLT)
Local Transportation Assistance Fund – Vehicle License Tax – Powerball (LTAF–Powerball)
One–Stop Career Center System
State Sales Tax
Summer Youth Employment & Training
Urban Revenue Sharing
@TonyT
I’m not buying that answer Tony Tonish The tax items you list aren’t worth all of that work. The question that @TonyT asked was to:
“please produce any official document that says that by voting to incorporate we would obtain more taxes from the state.”
I agree with that poster, all of what you wrote is OPINION not fact. Kindly produce the documents that show.
Too funny …
All crying about taxes the small amount you pay.
You residents of Arizona require money from the federal government to make ends meets…..40 percent of the states budget comes from other states with surplus taxes.
So all here in AZ are takers and users…as far as tax money goes.
So please stop complaining about the minuscule ant of taxes you pay.
Or please stop utilizing taxes from other states to fill you budget gap…
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/arizona-among-states-most-reliant-on-federal-government-6627939
You missed listing the APS rate increase scam. My electric bills are now over 30% higher each month, this with LOWER power consumption than last year, and a warmer winter (I heat with natural gas) after the Corp Commission granted them the ability to rob us just a little bit more. I shouldn’t forget to mention the added fees just for reading my meter: “Metering”=$3.54, “Non-standard meter reading charge”=$5.00, “meter reading “=$2.45… so $10.99 of my bill is for the meter? This is all legalized theft.
If you return an unanswered call, check your telephone bill. You may be getting charged for the return call because it’s a scam.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/one-ring-robocall-scam-targeting-new-york-and-arizona-area-codes-fcc-warns/ar-AAATGaY?ocid=spartandhp