The results are in from the first 10,000 scams reported to the new bbb.org/scamtracker. Here are the top ten scams of 2015 and a few notes on avoiding each one of them.

Scam TypeNumberPercentage
Tax Scams (IRS)2,41324.0%
Debt Collections8358.3%
Sweepstakes/Prizes8118.0%
Tech Support6086.0%
Government Grant5745.7%
Advanced Fee Loan3883.8%
Credit Cards3063.0%
Work from Home2612.6%
Fake Check/Money Order2422.4%
Lottery2412.4%

*We see that phony IRS calls are the major problem. Its success unfortunately means that it is working well. So it is important to just hang up when called, never call these numbers back, never press a key to be removed from future calls, and report anyone claiming to be with the government to the Federal Trade commission at 1-877-382-4357.

*If receiving a call from someone claiming to collect a debt, ask for the information in writing; who you owe, how much you owe and when the bill took place. Never agree to settle over the phone without receiving something in writing. Call the original company to ensure this entity actually represents them…

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