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Scammers Often Seek Out "Repeat Customers"

By Mark Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.com

January 8, 2006

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It's a sad fact that people who lose money to a scam are often victimized again, this time by a scammer who claims he can recover their money -- for a fee. In the world of scams, it's known as "reloading."

PhoneBusters.com, an anti-scam organization based in Canada, says it has encountered two common examples recently.

In the first case, a caller claiming to be a law enforcement officer tells the victim that money has been seized, and that their records indicate that the victim has lost money to the company or companies. They promise they help you recover the money you have lost for a small fee.

"If money is seized, you will be advised by a police agency but they will never request money in advance for any reason," PhoneBusters said in an advisory.

The caller may also claim that they have bought out a particular company that promised you prizes that were never sent. They are an honest company, the victim is told, and they are eager to get those prizes right out if the victim can pay some related costs.

Law enforcement officials say so-called "sucker lists" of people who have fallen for scams are traded among criminals and are highly prized.

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