'Operation Short Change'

" Check your email lately if your inbox seems to be overflowing with more spam than ever. You're not imagining things Google says there was a 53%. Rise in unsolicited. Pitches for sex drugs and other things in June compared to march of this year. It is expected to increase even more search engines -- spammers flood in to fill the void as soon as older ones are shut down. Spam messages Kellogg email networks worldwide and they can include. Destructive computer viruses."

" from spammers. So -- spammers now raking in millions of dollars preying on thousands of people desperate to earn money needs very tough times. The Federal Trade Commission announcing a major crackdown on all of these phony business as it's called to get this. Operation shortchanged. And FT CI the Justice Department and at least thirteen states filing cases against these con artist. And they're accused of peddling fake and get rich quick real estate job schemes all of those sort of things eye to the tune of 300 million dollars. FTC attorney Karen Haas joins us now -- With the very first sign."

" We're about to get ripped off. Well one of the -- telltale signs that -- about -- is a guaranteed. Earnings claim are guaranteed success claim. There aren't many Rick Fox who want you to believe that you can make money earn a living get rich and they can guarantee it."

" Until where we have on our screen here guarantees that for success as one of the red flags wiley -- at a point you can -- them up there because there's a few others. Money back -- your business fails like you mentioned Karen a tight deadline to commit your money. And that won't give back I won't give any disclosure documents so are any trends because of the times over and is there one scam."

" to -- the top here. Well the apparition short change has -- committed resources toward. Targeting frauds in this a tough economy. The -- that we're seeing in the front that we targeted are the three varieties. For the most part work at home business opportunities scams. Job placement scams where they load purportedly guarantee. Job placement you just have to give them money up front. And then the last type of scheme that we're seeing. Our government grant schemes where they're promising access to. Free government grant money. Again all you have to do is paid him upfront first. This seems very recession specific if you do get -- Karen what are the chances your actually gonna get your money back. The FTC endeavors in every case that we bring to bring money back to consumers. We often times. They the request courts to give us temporary restraining orders which include asset freezes. Those are asset freezes over the corporate assets in any individual assets that are related to the scheme. If we are successful in our litigation and we do receive money back that FTC gets all of that money back."

" Sooners they're actually showing you video where there's some examples -- some of these scams so you can do a little research ahead of time. I caring and if you do you get standing anyways it just contact you guys -- how do you. --"

" You should complain. Loudly and often. The first place of course that we'd like -- is is the FTC and you can do that online which is that FTC dot -- You can also call our 800 number which is 877. FTC help. You should also complained to the Better Business Bureau to your state attorneys. General to -- local police department our district attorney's offices. But the FTC would love to hear more consumer complaints so that we know what's going on in the marketplace go out and get these guys -- right Karen Karen -- the FTC thank you so much Karen."