Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Legal Scams
    Legal Scams
    Legal Scams
    Ebook186 pages2 hours

    Legal Scams

    By Bill Kahn

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    How do you protect your life against “Legal Scams?” In the context of this book, scam is used for short-hand purposes only as it encompasses the field of scams, frauds and cons. The term “Legal Scams” seems like an oxymoron since scams are normally associated with illegal activities. Many of the actions outlined come very close to the illegal line; some may even step over it a bit. Regardless, the objectives of both types are the same; get your money, although there may be other reasons such as affecting interpersonal relationships. Even with the differences between the legal and quasi-legal, you can be placed in jeopardy for your health, prevent you from taken needed action, obtaining a poor product or not getting what was expected.
    Legal scams are typically run by companies sometimes individuals acting as a company and often by elected government officials in conjunction with companies. These types affect just about everyone. They are designed to mislead through false statements or pictures or concealing pertinent information they are not legally required to provide. Their ultimate action, whether intentional or not is to take money or goods using existing laws or the lack of laws covering some particular action.
    This might be done by a government passing a law where the function was previously considered illegal but the new law makes it legal. It could also be done by a company working within the law to mislead, persuade or exploit the characteristics of the human psyche such as honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility, gullibility, or greed. Unfortunately, it all comes down to trust of a company or our own government causing a person to take some action they may not normally take.
    Usually, the term “Fraud” has a very clear definition in the legal sense. For a “Legal Fraud," it might be something as simple as language in a contract’s terms & conditions. Although, it may be perfectly legal, it may not be in a person’s best interest. The company does it because they might be sure no one will read it and thus can get away with it.
    The term “Con” is synonymous with the term “Bamboozle” or “Snow Job.” This action may be done by a picture, video or any one of a number of other media. It could be as simple as twisting words around to fool you into thinking it’s something it’s not.
    It should be noted even if the practice is considered legal; various government agencies have the ability to seek action to prevent deceptive and misleading claims: Federal Trade Commission, Food and Drug Administration and State Attorneys Generals. Companies wanting to stay out of their grasp are careful to come just up to the line to where government action might take place.
    It’s unfortunate that many companies work in conjunction with governments to get at your money using legal scams. You may be able to side step non-governments scams. Unfortunately, those perpetrated by governments themselves may be impossible to avoid.
    Think more of this book as a mystery novel, where you have to look for the clues to find out how you are being taken. Some of the clues will pop-out at you or are self-evident, where others take investigation. This book looks at the “Characteristics” of Scams, which consequentially makes the clues easier to identify for a broader class of scams.
    Each chapter explains what to look for and how to avoid being scammed. Many explain just the general characteristics of a particular class of scam since the solution is self-evident. Chances are you’re not familiar with Legal scams since they probably happen to you every day without your even knowing it. There is one very important factor that you should keep in mind, “The Supreme Court has ruled that lying is not illegal so long as one is not under oath,” and is the basis of many of the legal scams you will encounter.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBill Kahn
    Release dateMay 18, 2015
    ISBN9781311996466
    Legal Scams
    Author

    Bill Kahn

    Bill Kahn education includes an EE degree Electrical Engineering from the University of Florida and Nuclear Physics from Ohio State University. He participated in nuclear radiation effects and was seven miles from an atomic blast (no I don’t glow in the dark).While at a large aerospace corporation he invented a techniques for identifying specific hardware malfunctions in computers, a technique used into the mid 80’s, he invented and developed the first large scale Digital Paging and Cellular telephone systems, the fore-runner of the modern systems today. He has lectured around the world on a variety of subject, and received numerous awards.His website on illegal scams www.stopthescam.org provides an insight into the illegal world of those that attack you covertly. The site includes lectures which has been given numerous times, NPR and Webinar interviews and an unusual look of how government intrusion can be at your “front Door.” He also lectures on business scams at www.stopbusinessscams.com, and to see what the future might bring look at his site at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7J63fFULIE

    Related to Legal Scams

    Related ebooks

    Questions & Answers For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Disposable Identities

      Mar 9, 2020

      Disposable Identities
      4 min read

    • Article

      Your Home is Your...Snitch?

      May 24, 2018

      In the age of Alexa, new questions arise about how your smart devices could be used by police.

      5 min read

    • Article

      The Swindler’s Toolbox

      Oct 30, 2020

      The Swindler’s Toolbox
      2 min read

    • Article

      3 Main Reasons Why the Government Denies Social Security Disability Benefits

      Jul 16, 2022

      Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is one of the least understood insurance policies available to U.S. workers. Many workers don’t realize they have the income protection SSDI provides or that they contributed to the coverage with every payc

      3 min read

    • Article

      How to Build a Credit History

      Oct 3, 2019

      Most lenders expect you to have a decent credit record to qualify for a loan or credit card. But if you've never had a credit card or taken out a loan, you don't have much of a credit history. It's a conundrum that young people face as they begin the

      4 min read

    • Article

      Covert Entry Tools

      Feb 28, 2020

      Covert Entry Tools
      4 min read

    • Article

      What Trustees Should Know About Property Transactions

      Apr 17, 2021

      UNDER the Alienation of Land Act, any deed of sale of immovable property has to be in writing, and the parties thereto or their agents have to be legally authorised to act at the time of signing of the contract. Section 2(1) of the act provides that

      4 min read

    • Article

      Buying Anonymously

      Apr 6, 2020

      Buying Anonymously
      4 min read

    • Article

      Does a Lawyer Owe You Money?

      Oct 3, 2019

      "While trying to find some guidance for my problem with a law firm that is dragging its feet in paying me for patent illustrations, I came across your 2008 article When Lawyers Don't Pay their Bills. It is about an attorney who refused to pay a real

      3 min read

    • Article

      How to Opt Out of Forced Arbitration

      Jul 3, 2019

      Heads up, Chase credit card customers: The issuer is adding a binding arbitration agreement to nearly all of its cards (excluding the AARP card)--but you still have time to opt out. Chase will soon bar cardholders from banding together in a class-act

      1 min read

    • Article

      Are All of Our Good Intentions Just Cheap Talk?

      May 1, 2017

      Like most of you, I consider myself an honourable member of society: Trustworthy, honest and moral. Yet I don’t always act accordingly — and judging by the magnitude of insurance fraud, tax deception and the illegal downloading of music, films and ga

      4 min read

    • Article

      5 Financial Boxes You Should Check Before COVID-19 Strikes

      Apr 23, 2020

      I'm not sure I've ever read, let alone written, a title so morbid. These are unprecedented times. The unfortunate reality is that, according to the CDC, the fatality rate of this virus is over 10% for those 85+, but the virus can be deadly no matte

      4 min read

    • Article

      Constant Vigilance

      Oct 30, 2020

      Constant Vigilance
      2 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Legal Scams

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Legal Scams - Bill Kahn

      Legal Scams

      Published by Bill Kahn at Smashwords

      Copyright 2015 Bill Kahn

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it or it was not purchased for your use only, then, please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for your support.

      Preface

      Legal scams, frauds and cons impact your everyday life, and you’re probably not aware of how! This book came about because of the persistent scams pulled on the public by companies’ individuals and our own government. Are people you’re supposed to trust telling you the truth? Do you often find yourself questioning the media? Is the food, medicine or product you buy safe? Are stores misleading you? It took hundreds of hours to answer these and related questions and weave them into a cohesive easy to understand story. This book will show you how to avoid legal scams, frauds and cons. It will identify what to look for and how to identify the non-obvious clues. It will pull into perspective written, spoken and physical actions and pinpoint the action you should take.

      Table of Contents

      Chapter 1 - Introduction

      Chapter 2 - Words Meant to Deceive

      Chapter 3 - Believe Me or Your Lying Eyes

      Chapter 4 - Trust Me, "I Would Never Lie

      Chapter 5 - Gobbledygook

      Chapter 6 - The Politician Scam

      Chapter 7 - Avoiding Financial Traps

      Chapter 8 - Food Language Used to Deceive

      Chapter 9 - How Some Charities Can Mislead You

      Chapter 10 - Weight Reduction-The Magic Mirror

      Chapter 11 - Anti-Aging - Manipulating Your Eyes & Mind

      Chapter 12 - Telemarketing

      Chapter 13 - Health Issues

      About Bill Kahn

      Connect with Bill Kahn

      Chapter 1

      Introduction

      In the context of this book, the term Scam is used for short hand purposes only; it really encompasses scams, frauds and cons.

      This book is about how to protect your life against Legal Scams. The term Legal Scams seems like an oxymoron since scams are normally associated with illegal activities. Many of the actions outlined come very close to the illegal line; some may even step over it a bit and are termed Quasi-Legal. The objectives of both types are the same; get your money, although there are some other reasons such as affecting interpersonal relationships. Even with the differences between the legal and quasi-legal, you can be placed in jeopardy for your health, prevent you from taken needed action, obtaining a poor product or not getting what was expected.

      Illegal scams are usually run by single individuals or small groups of people that break existing laws or prey on the unsuspecting. They ultimately affect about 30% of the population. Legal scams are typically run by companies sometimes individuals and often by elected government officials in conjunction with companies. These types affect just about everyone.

      Legal scams are designed to mislead someone through false statements, pictures or concealing pertinent information they are not legally required to provide. Their ultimate action, whether intentional or not is to take money or goods using existing laws or the lack of laws covering some particular action.

      This might be done by a government passing a law where the function was previously considered illegal but the new law makes it legal. It could also be done by a company working within the law to mislead, persuade or exploit the characteristics of the human psyche such as honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility, naïveté, or greed. Unfortunately, it all comes down to trust of a company or our own government causing a person to take some action they may not normally take.

      Usually, the term Fraud has a very clear definition in the legal sense. For a Legal Fraud, it might be something as simple as language in a contract’s terms & conditions. Although, it may be perfectly legal, it may not be in a person’s best interest. The company does it because they might be pretty sure no one will read it and thus can get away with it.

      The term Con is synonymous with the term Bamboozle or Snow Job. This action may be done by a picture, video or any one of a number of other media. For example, it may be accomplished by twisting words around to fool you into thinking it’s something it’s not.

      It should be noted even if the practice is considered legal; various government agencies have the ability to seek action to prevent deceptive and misleading claims. Companies wanting to stay out of their grasp are careful to come just up to the line to where government action might take place.

      The Federal Trade Commission has jurisdiction over the advertising and marketing of foods, nonprescription drugs, medical devices, and health care services. The FTC can seek Federal court injunctions to halt fraudulent claims and obtain redress for injured consumers.

      The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has jurisdiction over the content and labeling of foods, drugs, and medical devices. They can take law enforcement action to seize and prohibit the sale of products that are falsely labeled.

      Most State Attorneys Generals have authority under state consumer protection statutes to investigate and prosecute unfair or deceptive acts and practices. Many have the power to seek consumer restitution, civil fines, and revocation of a company’s authority to do business.

      It’s unfortunate that many companies work in conjunction with governments to get at your money using legal scams. You may be able to side step non-governments scams. Unfortunately, those perpetrated by governments themselves may be impossible to avoid.

      Think more of this book as a mystery novel, where you have to look for the clues to find the guilty. Some of the clues will pop-out at you or are self-evident, where others take investigation. This book looks at the Characteristics of Scams, which consequentially makes the clues easier to identify for a broader class of Scams.

      Many of the chapters contain both Legal and the Quasi-Legal scam information, although the main focus is on legal scams. In some cases, there is a thin line, impractical to separate.

      Each chapter explains what to look for and how to avoid being scammed. Many explain just the general characteristics of a particular class of scam since the solution is self-evident. Chances are you’re not familiar with Legal scams since they probably happen to you every day without your even knowing it. There is one very important factor that you should keep in mind, The Supreme Court has ruled that lying is not illegal so long as one is not under oath. This will form the basis of many of the legal scams.

      Scams can be broadly classified as short-term and long-term. In the short term, they go after your money immediately. Long term scams take a while to evolve or set-up. They want your money in large chunks. Some years ago there was a popular movie called, The Sting with Robert Redford and Paul Newman. It was a Con job of how a Mark was setup to be taken for a lot of money. It was elaborate and required a lot of cooperating people to pull it off. The Long Play is made up of four parts: Setup, Demonstrate, Create a Demand and finally Run the Con.

      There is an excellent example of this type Con which ended up taking in many sophisticated people. The Bernie Madoff Scam (A Ponzi scheme,) which was illegal.

      This was the largest con ever pulled-off by an individual. Actually, there were a few other people involved. Before the government took him down, he had fleeced the public out of $65billion. About half of Madoff's investors were net winners, earning more than their investment. After claw back (return of money from investors receiving more than they invested), liquidation of assets and other lawsuits, the net loss to investors was about $10billion. Let’s look at his technique:

      The setup - Because of his position in the financial industry, Madoff could convince people he had a sure-fire method of making money. It took a while to setup and make the story convincing, but the Back Story was made believable.

      Demonstrate – He selected a group of people, his friends, and professional associates. He took their money and started paying back exorbitant returns on their investment. For those investing early he made sure they got back their initial investment plus interest. This was the key part of the Long Play.

      Create a Demand - Word got around; Madoff was for real. This became the Marketing aspect of the scheme and was critical to his success.

      Run the Con – Once the hook was set, the barn doors flew open, money started to pour in.

      There are many variations of this scam; however, they’re all based on the setup or bringing Marks into the scam as time progresses. They might be Investments, Mind Reading, Fortune Tellers, Penny Stock, Land Investment, and the list goes on.

      There are also legal Long Play scams; I

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1