If Americans took their education more seriously, perhaps we wouldn't be as vulnerable to ridiculous scams.

Really, do you think someone is going to give you a lottery ticket worth thousands - if you'll just go to the bank and get some cash to give them as “seed money?”

Sounds preposterous, and it is. It's also something that happens just about every day, somewhere in America. And it happens here, too.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department recently sent out a warning about an Internet scam making the rounds. In this one, an organization purported to be somewhere in the United Kingdom sends the victim a check, to be deposited in the mark's account, so the company can avoid paying taxes in China.

You should have hit the “delete” button long before now, but scams target the gullible.

When the mark tries to deposit the check, it bounces. He or she contacts the “company,” whose officials say they'll send a check for $120,000 - if the mark will first send them a check for $478.

Gee, what a deal. Fork over $478, and get back $120,000? Wow.

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Fortunately, the county resident who reported this latest scam did not send the money, but instead called the Sheriff's Department.

Here's the rule, plain and simple: If the offer looks absolutely too good to be true, it absolutely is - a fraud. Protect yourself.

June 20, 2008