Scam Alert
By Theodore Fischer
August/September 2006
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Hispanics are victimized by scams more than twice as often as non-Hispanic whites, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
And while most scams are equal-opportunity victimizers—ID theft, home improvement rip-offs, charity frauds, and bogus Internet auctions, among others—many schemes are hatched by culprits who abuse their knowledge of the Spanish language and Hispanic culture.
Notary fraud, for example, targets Hispanics who mistakenly believe that notaries public in the United States—like Latin American notarios públicos—are licensed attorneys. “Unfortunately, unscrupulous individuals use their title to defraud immigrants seeking immigration assistance,” says Texas Attorney General Greg Abbot.
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Resources |
| To expose, combat, and protect yourself from the numerous scams targeting Hispanics, visit the following Federal Trade Commission websites: |
| OnGuard Online |
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¡Ojo! |
Hispanics are also susceptible to worthless “miracle” cures and weight-loss products advertised through Spanish-language media.
“These are basically infomercials that offer all sorts of [bogus] medical cures,” says Pastor Herrera Jr., director of the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs.
If you’re victimized, contact your local consumer protection agency, Better Business Bureau, or state attorney general. But the best way to beat a scam is to avoid it in the first place.
“Learn to say no, and always guard your assets,” advises Herrera. “Never give out your Social Security number or date of birth to people you don’t know. And never get pressured into doing something just because someone seems like a nice person or they’re part of your culture or they speak your language.”
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