This book looks at various hoaxes, scams, and types of fraud. We will learn to recognize these crimes for what they are and we will look at what we can do to protect ourselves from becoming victims of these crimes. It is important to remember, however, that no book can identify every possible hoax, scam or fraud, or every variation on these crimes. There will always be some new twist, some new way that criminals find to take advantage of the unsuspecting. What we can all do is to learn to recognize the most common of these crimes and to recognize the underlying principles that make these crimes successful. Don't be conned out of your life savings, tricked into paying for goods you will never receive or lose your complete identity - become aware!