FIGHT BACK : STOPPING INTERNET SCAMS.

Byline: David Horowitz 

Q:How do you avoid Internet rip-offs?

A: Don't fret if you get ripped off on the Internet - just write it off as a total loss if you can let go.

It's hard for me to believe that some of us are falling for the same scams that almost ruined the reputation of the telemarketing industry.

People buy products they never get. They fall for bogus investment opportunities. They trap themselves in work-at-home schemes and lose money in fake sweepstakes and multilevel product marketing fraud.

Buying on the Internet is one place to use your credit card. A consumer rights group study showed that 60 percent of the cyber fraud victims paid by check, cash or money order. If they had used a credit card, the charge could have been disputed with the credit-card company if the goods weren't delivered or they were defective.

The problem is the ads to buy on the Net aren't local, and it's tough to track down the seller, who could literally be on the other side of the world.

Credit-card sales, however, are easier to track down. In most cases, the cybercrooks get away scot-free because cyber fraud is not generally covered by individual state or federal consumer protection laws.

Best advice before you buy? See if you can check out who you are dealing with for a tip-off to a rip-off.