'Teaser' sites help reject Web scams

Stumbling on good advice can be extremely effective

A scam warning appears when searching the Internet for investment sites, which the FTC hopes will cut down on deceptive business schemes on the Web.

(CNN) -- You've just lost your job and have nothing on the horizon. Maybe it's time for a change like working from home. Or perhaps now is the time to take that nest egg and make an aggressive investment with the possibility of a quick payoff.

A couple of quick Web searches turn up several possibilities, including a solid-looking investment with a company that makes a portable bioterrorism detection device.

It appears to be a great combination: The site says the McWhortle Company has been a trusted supplier to the defense industry for years, and has a slew of testimonials from Fortune 500 companies. A good way to turn around financial fortunes, and a patriotic move as well.

One more click for the details ... yikes!

It's a screen that has the effect of hitting you over the head.

"You could get scammed!" screams the headline, with a young man holding out his hand to say "Stop!"

The site is the creative work of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), one of several "teaser" sites that show up on search engines when users type in requests for everything from "free vacations" to "erectile dysfunction cures."

While the FTC goes after businesses accused of deceptive practices, agency attorney Eric A. Wenger says he would much rather reach consumers before they get taken.

"We want to try to reach out to them and give them information that they can use to critically evaluate offers that they are receiving," he said. "And allow them to recognize and avoid deception before falling victim to it."

It's basically a high-tech, let-the-experts-look-over-your-shoulder-and-give-a-little-advice site.

"You can imagine me standing next to your mailbox and giving you information that would help you to evaluate offers as you are opening your mail," said Wenger. "It might help you to avoid some scams, but at the same time it would be very expensive and intrusive. We can sort of actually do that on the Internet without creating some of those problems."

Educate and empower

But he says the sites are designed to educate and empower consumers who use the Internet, not to make them feel silly or like they've been "had."

This may look like the Web site of a legitimate business, but it's actually a fake. The SEC launched the site to warn investors of Internet fraud.

And while some greedy Web surfers may be looking for a pie-in-the-sky, get-rich-quick scheme, millions of others may have trouble sifting scams from deals that are legitimate, but complicated.

"The problem is that a lot of the business opportunities and solicitations that are going out right now are very, very complicated because they involve complex business relationships, or because they involve technology that might not be easily understood by consumers," said Wenger.

After the initial, perhaps shocking, "You could get scammed" warning, these "teaser" sites have links to complaint forms and tips provided by the FTC. Those tips can be accessed at www.ftc.gov, or by calling 1-877-FTC HELP.

Complaints filed there, along with problems reported to other consumer agencies like the Better Business Bureau, the National Fraud Information Center and the FBI all feed into the same consumer database, operated by the FTC. Wenger says that information is available to law enforcement agencies across the United States.