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Classic scams you should watch out for

Don Dare # State
scam

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) - The internet and social media sites are filled with fake information, aimed at swindling you. Millions of people across the country fall victim, believing they've won a ton of money.

When David Hall checked his email recently, he came across an urgent message from a local bank. The retired firefighter said he knew immediately not to follow the directions even though it looked authentic.

"It had the logo on it and everything else that made it look legit,"
he said.

However, Hall doesn't have an account with the bank anymore.

"It's been about two or three years since I've dealt with them,"
Hall said.
"The scammer wanted me to call a number and give my information to them."

Lots of people will fall for this scam.

"They take advantage of old people who have worked all their lives to save a little something, then someone comes by, scams them, and takes it away,"
Hall said.

Con artists are a wily bunch. They fool honest people through lies,and trickery. Even with all the advanced knowledge we have today, old-fashioned cons still work. Beware of some classic low-tech scams.

The granddaddy of them all is called the Nigerian scam which once originated in Nigeria but now comes from all over the world and is sent out of the blue.

Vernice and Ted Berry tried to determine whether the email they received was the real thing. It came from a guy calling himself Gerald Manel, a financial manager. He wrote that once of Ted Berry's relatives recently died. The information Vernice Berry read from the email is the bait to get them hooked.

"My name is Gerald Manel, portfolio manager for Edward Berry, your late relative. After countless attempts to locate his relatives, I am glad to have found you,"
she read.

The letter says Edward Berry's unclaimed account is valued at $1.7 million and will be confiscated if not claimed.

"He said he would provide details for us to start getting the money,"
said Vernice Berry.
"I saw a fancy car in my garage."

The couple hoped the email was true. Vernice Berry has been in contact with them, yet she says he has not given us a full number. The only contact is through email.

Then, the Berrys filled out an investment certificate and received a deposit slip. The scammers must have figured they had them hooked.

"You are required to forward below documents to facilitate the release of $1,750,000 to you as the legal beneficiary,"
said Vernice Berry.

The promise of big money is the hook.

"Nobody is ever going to give you millions of dollars for to pay a few thousand dollars up front for. It's never going to happen. It's not realistic,"
said Better Business Bureau President Tony Binkley.

Scams offer you the false promise of winning a pot of gold. What you do is end up losing your money, or sharing your bank or credit card details or other personal information with the con artists.

Fortunately the Berrys didn't fall for the scam.