From How to Get Out of Debt

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL…. scams? The Better Business Bureau (BBB) publicly announced a warning to consumers this week to be on high alert for super bowl scams; specifically knock-off team jerseys, counterfeit memorabilia and phony game tickets. Katherine Hutt, spokesperson for the Council of Better Business Bureaus states, “there are three good reasons [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Super Bowl Scams On The Rise

From How to Get Out of Debt

We’ve covered the deceitful acai berry weight-loss products over the past year on our site (see here, here and here). It was announced on Wednesday that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has stopped six operators from using fake news site that allegedly deceived consumers about this product. Six online marketers agreed to settlements with the [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: FTC Halts Fake News Sites About Deceitful Acai Berry Weight-Loss Products

From How to Get Out of Debt

A federal grand jury in Pheonix returned a 25 count indictment against Gerald Lee Kelly on four counts of wire fraud, six counts of mail fraud, 10 counts of money laundering and five counts of structuring financial transactions to avoid federal bank reporting requirements. The indictment alleges that in 2006 and 2007, Kelly operated a [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: A 25 Count Indictment For Investment Scheme Fraudster Announced

From How to Get Out of Debt

It was announced today that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have signed an agreement to coordinate efforts to protect consumers in an effort to avoid duplication of federal law enforcement and regulatory efforts. The memorandum of the two agencies’ understand can be viewed here. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: FTC And CFPB Pledge To Work Together To Protect Consumers

From How to Get Out of Debt

Thirteen days into the year and I feel like all I’ve written about is Ponzi-scheme after Ponzi-scheme after Ponzi-scheme. Today I bring to you the sentencing of Jenifer Devine, the woman who owned a purported wholesale merchandise broker and admitted to running a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme that resulted in over $2 million in losses to [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Ponzi Schemes Are The New Black

From How to Get Out of Debt

It was announced yesterday that the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is alerting contractors across the country to be on the look out for telephone solicitors attempting to convince them to sign up for an online program that offers free job leads. Apparently, numerous contractors have reported to the BBB about a scheme in which they [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Contractors Beware! $99 Advance Fee Job Scam

From How to Get Out of Debt

Sydney Jack Williams of Naples, Florida was sentenced today to a year and a day in prison for failing to report more than $12 million to the IRS in related commissions received in Nevin Shapiro’s $930 million Ponzi scheme. Williams previously plead guilty to an Information that charged him with one count of subscribing to [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Largest Recruiter Of Shapiro’s $930 Million Ponzi Scheme Sentenced

From How to Get Out of Debt

Last Thursday it was announced that Laurentiu Ilian Bulat was arrested yesterday for allegedly participating in a fraud ring that stole at least $1.5 million from HSBC customer bank accounts by installing “skimming” devices on more than 40 ATMs in Manhattan, Long Island, and Westchester, New York. According to the Complaint since May 2011, the [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Romanian Citizen Busted For $1.5 Million Fraud Ring Of HSBC Customers

From How to Get Out of Debt

Apparently an Illinois investment advisor, Steven Salutric, engaged in an investment fraud that swindled the retirement savings of 10 elderly clients to lose more than $4.26 million. Salutric was charged with one count wire fraud in a criminal information filed in late December of 2011. Apparently Salutric diverted clients’ funds to his personal business associates [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Investment Advisor Defrauds Clients Out Of Retirement Funds

From How to Get Out of Debt

Yesterday Massachusetts State Trooper, John Analetto, was charged with extortion and loansharking relating charges including the collection of extension of credit by extortionate means. The complaint alleges that between Oct. 2011 to present, Analetto loaned money to a cooperating witness (“CW”) after learning of the CW’s outstanding debts to loansharks, in exchange for a percentage [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Don’t Spit In That Cop’s Burger – MA State Trooper Arrested For Extortion

From How to Get Out of Debt

Douglas Vaughan faces 10 to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to wire and mail fraud charges that involved his operation of a “Ponzi” scheme where he defrauded around 600 investors of more than $74 million. Vaughan promised extraordinary returns which he obviously did not follow through with. In February of 2011, in an [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Six Hundred Out Of $74 Million In Ponzi Scheme

From How to Get Out of Debt

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced they are requiring “U.S. Homeowners Relief” defendants to pay millions in their settlement along with banning them from the debt and mortgage relief business. The FTC had charged six defendants (that have agreed to settle) in the participation of a fraudulent mortgage modifications and foreclosure relief scheme. The settlement [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Six Required To Pay Millions From “U.S. Homeowners Relief” Scheme

From How to Get Out of Debt

On the first of this month it was announced that two more Rothstein Associates were charged in connection with the billion dollar fraud scheme. Announced was the filing of charges against William Boockvor and Marybeth Feiss for conspiring to commit crimes through the operation of the former Fort Lauderdale law firm of Scott W. Rothstein, [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Two More Charged In Rothstein Billion Dollar Fraud Scheme

From How to Get Out of Debt

Yesterday it was announced in Illinois that Edward Lynn Moskop was sentenced to the maximum statutory penalties of 240 months in prison for mail fraud and 120 months for money laundering. This 360 month (30 year sentence) sentence is to be served concurrently followed by three years supervised release after. The sentence follows Moskop’s guilty [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: To Catch A Financial Predator

From How to Get Out of Debt

From May 2009 through November of 2011 it’s been alleged that two men, Tavon Dameon Davis and Bruce Eric Byrd, among others were involved in a scheme to steal money orders and checks from rent deposit boxes at apartment complexes, then deposit the funds into fraudulent business savings, checking and payroll accounts at banks. The [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Witness Murdered Over $513,563 Bank Fraud Scheme

From How to Get Out of Debt

A Massachusetts man was sentenced last week to 8.5 years in prison for a 20-year Ponzi scheme and ordered to pay over $17 million in recitation to over 200 victims. Richard Elkinson was sentenced to 102 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $17 million in [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: State Government Uniform Scam? That’s New…

From How to Get Out of Debt

I really don’t understand why criminals who have failed previous times in the past at committing a crime honestly think they have what it takes to commit it again. Last month Jon Edward Hankins was sentenced to prison on charges of wire fraud in connection with his scheme to lure investors to invest into his [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Previously Convicted Scammer Heads Back To Prison

From How to Get Out of Debt

Construction company executives and employees, along with others, have been indicted in an alleged billing fraud and kickback scheme. Krahl Construction’s Principal owner and six of it’s top executives and employees along with two former employees of client companies were indicted for allegedly engaging in a fraudulent billing and kickback scheme. The defendants affiliated (seven [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Krahl Construction Executives And Employees Indicted In Alleged Fraud And Kickback Scheme

From How to Get Out of Debt

In the mid-2000s Clarence Allen Rice, owner of C & J Leasing Corporation, ran a complex, multimillion dollar wire fraud scheme to which he was just sentenced to a term of 70 months in prison for earlier this month. Trial and sentencing evidence showed that Rice suffered over $800,000 in day trading losses in the [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Mid-2000s Multimillion Dollar Fraudster Finally Gets Sentenced

From How to Get Out of Debt

Three New York residents were charged last week with an indictment charging them with conspiracy, bank fraud and identity theft offenses related to an alleged participation in an ATM “skimming” scheme across southern New England. Gabriela Graham and two citizens of Turkey, Mehmet Aydin and Ahmet Cilek, were each charged with one count of conspiracy [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Three Plea Not Guilty In Skimming Scam Across Southern New England

From How to Get Out of Debt

Former owner and president of Allied Heath Care Services, Charles Schwartz, was sentenced last week to 195 months in prison (16.25 years) for organizing and executing a $135 million phony lease scheme that losses of more than $80 million and victimized over 50 financial institutions. In April Schwartz pleaded guilty to one count of mail [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Former Owner And President Of Allied Health Care Sentenced For $135 Million Phony Lease Scheme

From How to Get Out of Debt

Three defendants have been sentenced to federal prison on charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft; one man committing fraud from prison. According to United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: In late January 2011, Samantha Johnson stole the wallet of a 93-year-old woman while she was [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: If At First You Don’t Succeed, Commit Fraud and Fail Again : Defrauding From Behind Bars

From How to Get Out of Debt

As part of its ongoing efforts to crack down on illegal pre-recorded robocalls, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is taking action against an operation that allegedly helped clients make illegal robocalls, call phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry, and mask Caller ID information, in violation of the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule. This [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: FTC Continues TSR Crack Down

From How to Get Out of Debt

Earlier this month word broke when a complaint was issued against four Arizona LLCs and 11 Arizonians that Arizona telemarketers had defrauded almost 5,000 people out of over $6.3 million. These criminals conducted a scam that used victims’ credit-card limits to determine how much to charge them in setting up their very own “web mall” [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Arizona Telemarking Scam Leaves 5,000 Out Of Over $6.3 Million

From How to Get Out of Debt

Jade Capital & Investments and its owners Joon Park (aka Joon Pak / Joon Paik) and his brother Loren Young Park (aka Loren Young Park / Yong Park) have been indicted on charges in connection to a scheme to fraudulently obtain business loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Allegedly, this scheme resulted in [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Jade Capital & Investments Indicted In Alleged $37 Million Fraud

From How to Get Out of Debt

We are officially one week away from my favorite and most dreaded shopping day of the year. That’s right folks, Black Friday is here! The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has released an excellent Black Friday shopping tip sheet that I urge all of you to read. So here. Read it… “It’s time to start planning [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Must Have Black Friday Shopping Tips!

From How to Get Out of Debt

Earlier this month it was announced that the former president and finance director of one of the world’s largest outdoor advertising companies (speculated to be US Posterscope), have been accused of engaging in a five year long $19.75 million accounting fraud. Allegedly the men made it appear that their company was meeting certain performance targets [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Former President And Finance Director Of The Speculated US Posterscope Accused Of A $20 Million Accounting Fraud

From How to Get Out of Debt

Today, the Federal Trade Commission will host the third in a series of roundtables around the country to gather information on consumers’ experiences in the leasing of motor vehicles at dealerships. The roundtable also will address what has been learned about auto sales, financing and leasing at all of the roundtables; what consumer and business [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: You Are Cordially Invited To The FTC’s Road Ahead Roundtable

From How to Get Out of Debt

It’s official! The last remaining defendants in an allegedly fraudulent mortgage modification scheme called “Hope Now” have settled with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that will permanently ban them from the mortgage assistance and relief business. They will also be forced to return any fraudulent-earned gains to consumers. The settlement with Michael Kwasnik and his [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Hope Now Schemers Officially Out Of The Mortgage Business

From How to Get Out of Debt

I’ve never really thought or paid much mind to where a criminal would buy a car. Have you? I mean, think about it, you’d figure if someone was hiding from the police or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that they’d probably buy a car in cash and pay off a dealer to keep it off [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: If You’re Catering To Criminals, You’re Probably A Criminal

From How to Get Out of Debt

In conjunction with a $15 million fraudulent investment scheme Duane Allen Eddings was found guilty of wire fraud, money laundering, bankruptcy fraud and tax evasion. Talk about a financial mess! According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on February 26, 2009, Eddings and co-defendant Robert Cephus Brown Jr., were indicted on charges that, [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: What Makes A Scam WISE?

From How to Get Out of Debt

Last week a jury convicted two brothers in Chicago after running and operating a home-repair scheme that targeted elderly victims on the south and west sides of Chicago. At their trial six victims testified that they were swindled out of tens of thousands of dollars by fraudulently promising to perform expensive home repairs, convincing them [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Home Repair Scheme Targeted Elderly Homeowners

From How to Get Out of Debt

Andrew Hamilton Williams, Jr., was convicted last week in Maryland of fraud conspiracy, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection to a massive mortgage fraud scheme. The scheme, entitled “Metro Dream Homes” promised to pay off homeowners’ mortgages on the homes of their dreams but instead left them high and dry. According [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: $78 Million Mortgage Fraud “Dream Home” Scheme Owner Convicted

From How to Get Out of Debt

The state of South Carolina and Bank of America have teamed up together to administer unemployment benefits to South Carolina residents. Unemployment benefits used to come in the form of a check but are now being issued in the form of a Bank of America prepaid debit card. Bank of America claims that it’s good [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Is Bank Of America Taking Advantage Of The Unemployed With Debit Card Fees?

From How to Get Out of Debt

(Try saying that title ten times fast) In March of this year the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) stepped up it’s efforts against scams that targeted financially strapped consumers with more than 90 actions brought by the commission and its law enforcement partners in a investigation called “Operation Empty Promises.” Within this investigation the FTC looked [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Scam Recovery Kits Business Continues To Scam Buy Selling Scam Recovery Kits

From How to Get Out of Debt

The operator of SkidEKids.com has settled charges from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) after collecting children’s information without parental consent. The website, SkidEKids.com, has been marketed and advertised as a website similar to Facebook or Myspace but for children, providing for them a safe and educational place on the internet. According to the FTC, Skid-e-kids [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: FTC Settles Charges Against Children’s Social Media Network After Collecting Personal Information Without Parental Consent

From How to Get Out of Debt

Mid-trial a mother and daughter fraudster team, along with an accomplice from Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to participating in a mortgage fraud scheme that lead to more than $1.9 million in mortgage loan losses to lenders. Mother, Patricia Smith, pleaded guilty to Counts Four and Five of the Superseding Indictment, which charged her with wire [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Mother Daughter Fraud Team Pleads Guilty After Five Days Of Trial

From How to Get Out of Debt

The owner and president of Franklin Drywall was sentenced in federal court last week for one count of providing false statements to two labor union pension and benefit funds. These acts by this Little Canada-based union sheet-rocking company was part of a scheme to underpay employees for overtime and underpay the union for pension and [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Franklin Drywall Cheats The Law And The Law Won

From How to Get Out of Debt

Two Liberian nationals have been arrested on criminal complaints charging them after allegedly defrauding a man out of $100,000 in a “black money” scheme. According to Affidavits in support of the Criminal Complaints, it is alleged that Anthony Chadheen and Alvin Pennue persuaded their victim to provide them with $100,000 in cash to purchase chemicals [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Two Liberian Nationals Arrested In Black Money Scheme

From How to Get Out of Debt

I feel it’s safe to assume that since Halloween is now over we can officially label this time of the year as the Holiday Season! Which I am super excited about! I love Thanksgiving and December’s holidays – mostly for the food – but often find the obligation and burden of buying gifts a heavy [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Online Shopping Tips For The Holiday Shopping On The Horizon

From How to Get Out of Debt

After pitching $40 million in fake auto-service warranties two former telemarketing executives are sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of $15,000 each. Christopher Cowart and Cris Sagnelli of Florida pleaded guilty last December to federal fraud charges arising out of the telemarketing sales practices of Transcontinental Warranty, a Florida company selling so [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Transcontinental Warranty Fake Auto-Service Warranties Lands Execs In Prison

From How to Get Out of Debt

A pending federal case investigating a $105 million “ponzi” scheme has charged a new defendant in the case. Newly added defendant, Alfred Gerebizza, is alleged that he and co-defendant Daniel Spitzer engaged in a ponzi scheme that resulted in losses of around $34 million after fraudulently obtaining over $105 million from over 400 victims. On [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: New Defendant Named In $105 Million Ponzi Scheme

From How to Get Out of Debt

If you receive a phone call claiming that you’ve won $2.5 million and a Mercedes Benz from a “representative” of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) be wary and hang up! The BBB put out a warning today “cautioning businesses and consumers about a website and phone calls that are purporting to be from BBB about [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Did You Win $2.5 Million And A Mercedes Benz From The BBB? I Didn’t Think So…

From How to Get Out of Debt

You know, I moved to the South in an attempt to prolong warm weather enjoyment and avoid winter and cold weather, however, this year like many others I’ve found an early winter and cold autumn nights. In an attempt to boycott the cold weather I refused to turn the heat on in my house until [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Chimney Sweep Scams Sweeping The Country

From How to Get Out of Debt

November hosts Small Business Saturday! Never heard of it? Me either. But apparently in honor of the day which is dedicated to small businesses on the busiest shopping weekend of the year the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is urging consumers to support the day and attempting to spread awareness. “For the second year in a [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Second Annual Small Business Saturday Could Mean Deal For American Express Cardholders

From How to Get Out of Debt

Last Friday former chief accounting officer, Michael Rand, for Beazer Homes was convicted for seven crimes relating to an accounting fraud conspiracy at Beazer over a seven year time span along with document destruction and obstruction of justice. The government has been investigating Beazer for just over 3 and a half year (since March 2007) [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Former Chief Accountant Of Beazer Homes Convicted Of Fraud

From How to Get Out of Debt

It was announced last week that Bryan Keith Coats of Clayton, North Carolina plead guilty to his role in connection with the Black Diamoind Ponzi Scheme Investigation that resulted in a $40 million investment fraud conspiracy. Coats admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit commodities, securities, and wire fraud and one count of promotional [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: North Carolina Man Is Seventh Convicted Of $40 Million Black Diamond Ponzi Scheme

From How to Get Out of Debt

Just one month ago I wrote about the implementation of debit card fees coming into play for big banks such as Chase, Wells Fargo and most notably Bank of America. Due to the change in a new government regulation that caps what banks can charge merchants for debit transactions they announced plans to implement a [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Bank Of America Backs Off $5 Debit Card Fees After Anti-Fee Petition Skyrockets

From How to Get Out of Debt

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) announced last week that a new phishing scam could be hitting an e-mail inbox near you! False e-mails are being sent from what appears to be ticketing sales site, StubHub (you know, the Ryan Secrest endorsed ticket site), and are tricking many victims into turning over personal information. Apparently it’s [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: BBB Warns of StubHub E-mail Scam

From How to Get Out of Debt

It was announced on October 26, 2011 that Michael Powers, former owner of Commonwealth Temporary Services, a temporary employment agency, has been sentenced to seven years in prison in “one of the most egregious tax evasion schemes” the sentencing judge had ever come across. The former temp agency apparently ran a $30 million under-the-table payroll [...]

Read the full article at GetOutOfDebt.org, click here: Commonwealth Temporary Services Owner Sentenced For “One Of The Most Egregious Tax Evasion Schemes”