Imagine getting a phone call announcing that you have won $125,000 in a foreign lottery. You're told that a cashier's check for $25,000, the first installment on your winnings is in the mail and that you will not have to pay fees and taxes on your prize until you have deposited the check.

THIS NEW TWIST ON AN OLD SCAM IS COSTING CONSUMERS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

The check you receive, which may appear to be a cashier's or bank check, in fact is a counterfeit. Your bank teller may think it is good, and the scammer may have a call-back number where the checks validity is supposedly confirmed. Sometimes your bank may inform you the check has "cleared", meaning only that the time for check clearing has passed, not that there are actually funds behind the cashier's check.

All of this may lead you to send or wire funds to the scammer to cover the fees and taxes. When the check you received turns out to be a phony, you are left with the loss of what you paid.

Another variation is when you sell something over the internet. A would-be buyer may send you a check for more than you have asked for, and request that you wire back the balance. However, the check you received is phony.

Take steps to protect yourself from counterfeit check scams:

1. If someone tells you that  you have won something, but that you need to pay something in return for it, don't do it.

2. Don't assume that a check you have received from a stranger is good; wait until the funds are actually in the account.

3. Never accept a check for more than the price of an item that you are selling, with the understanding you will send back the balance.

4. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

If you have been scammed, call the Vermont Attorney General's Consumer Assistance Program toll-free at 1-800-649-2424, or email consumer@uvm.edu

Identity Theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. With just a few pieces of critical information, an individual can assume your identity and have access to your bank account, run up massive credit card charges, open new accounts and apply for loans.

Some examples of how thieves can obtain information include: stealing your wallet or your mail, rummaging through your trash, filling out a change of address form to divert your mail, fraudulently obtaining a credit report, or finding personal information you share on the internet.

Steps you can take to prevent identity theft:

1. Check the accuracy of your credit report annually.

2. Review your bills and statements on a regular basis.

3. Never respond to email solicitations requesting personal information.

4. Report lost or stolen checks or credit cards immediately.

5. Guard you mail and trash from theft.

6. Use caution when giving out personal information.

7. Tear up or shred bank statements, credit card receipts and unused credit card offers.

If you feel you have been the victim of identity theft, take the following actions to protect yourself:

1. Contact the fraud department of one of the major credit bureaus. They are required to share information about your circumstances with the other two.

Equifax: www.equifax.com
To report fraud, call 1-800-525-6285 and write P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

Experian: www.experian.com
To report fraud, call 1-888-397-3742 and write P.O. Box 949, Allen, TX 75013-0949

Trans Union: www.tuc.com
To report fraud, call 1-800-680-7289 and write Fraud Victim Assistance Division,
P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634

2. Contact the creditors for any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.

3. File a report with the appropriate law enforcement authorities.

For additional information on what assistance might be available to you, contact the following organizations:

Vermont Attorney General's Office Consumer Assistance, 1-800-649-2424 or email
consumer@uvm.edu

Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft Hotline, 1-877-438-4338 or go online
www.consumer.gov/idtheft

You may not realize it, but it is possible for someone to withdraw (debit) money from your account without your permission. Fraudulent telemarketers can do this either by electronically debiting consumers' bank accounts, or by printing and depositing unsigned checks called demand drafts, which include the consumer's bank account number at the bottom of the check.

Having your checking account debited in this way can be a legitimate method of making mortgage of car payments; but the system is being used by fraudulent telemarketers and others. Take the following steps to protect yourself:

· Do not give out bank account information over the phone unless you are absolutely familiar with the company and agree to pay for something. If you give your checking account number over the phone to a stranger for "verification" or "computer purposes," that person could use it to improperly take money from your checking account.

· Always review your monthly bank account statement to ensure that there are no unauthorized debits. It is possible that someone you have never spoken to has obtained your bank account information by hacking into a database of financial information and has debited your account. If your statement shows a debit that you did not authorize, immediately contact your bank a fill out an affidavit stating that you did not consent to the debit. That way, your bank can take steps to get your money back.

If you have been a victim of this type of scam, call the Vermont Attorney General's Office Consumer Assistance Program toll-free at 1-800-649-2424 or email consumer@uvm.edu