Your security is your responsiblity. The below information is to help assist you in having a secure and enjoyable online experience.

Anytime you are asked for money or personal or financial information a red flag should go up. From that point on you should consider the person a scammer unless proven otherwise.

Scammers can come from anywhere but a vast number of scams originate from developing countries. Be especially wary of contact from Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Singapore, Eastern Europe, and Russia. As well as any country with a name that is unfamiliar to you.

Wiring money, online escrow services, or cashiers checks are definite warning signs.

Never give your bank account information to anyone. No legitimate person will ever need to request such information from you.

Be wary of first contacts that want you to email them off site. They are usually scammers or spammers looking to collect your email address.

Tips to help avoid scams:

• Never wire funds via Western Union, Moneygram or any other wire service.
• Fake cashier checks and money orders are common as well as forged checks, and banks will cash them and then hold you responsible when the fake is discovered later.
• Never give out financial information (bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.)
• Only deal with people you can meet in person.
• Avoid anything involving shipping or escrow services.
• Scammers will make up ANY convincing story to get your money.
• Don't send money to strangers.
• Do not call unfamilar numbers you receive in text messages on your cell phone.
• Do not visit websites recommended to you by strangers.

Recognizing scams:

• You having to put up some money or item of value FIRST.
• Your are promised or guaranteed money.
• Looks to good to be true.
• Requests for your personal or financial information.
• Contact from someone far away, often in another country
• Western Union, Money Gram, cashier's check, money order, shipping, escrow service, or a "guarantee."
• Inability or refusal to meet face-to-face before consumating transaction.

If you suspect a scammer please email all the details to "Abuse@ShareTheRichLife.com"

Example Scams:

• They need your bank account information so they can deposit money in your account.
• They need you to buy them a ticket.
• Offers to send you money - This is a very common scam and has numerous variations. All revolve around the scammer sending you a Cashier's Check(or some other financial instrument) for a very large amount of money and then you send back a portion of the money. The check sent by the scammer is worthless but by the time you discover this they have your money. This scam is known as the Spanish Prisoner Con and has been in use in one form or another since the early 1900s.
• Offering you millions of dollars, all you have to do is pay a tax or some other fee or charge.
• A very attractive person needs your help. Be wary of requests for money from people, no matter how convincing their story is or how attractive their photos appear. Photos can easily be acquired from the Internet.
• The scammer aquires your phone number and then sends you a text message asking you to call a certain number. When you call you are charged a fee on your cell phone account or you may be charged a fee for sending them a text message or for calling their phone number. Be very wary in calling unfamiliar phone numbers especially if they are located in another country.
• "Help! I'm stranded in Ghana and I need money to get home!" - The scammer pretends to be someone traveling abroad when misfortune strikes and they get stranded in Ghana, Romania, Cote De'Ivory, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, or some other country and they need you to send them money to get home. In reality, the scammer lives in the country where they are trying to get you to send the money and has no intention of ever going anywhere.
• "I need money for travel expenses" (airfare, gasoline, etc.) - Be very wary when deciding to send money for travel expenses. These scammers may be completely honest about their gender and appearance, verify themselves on webcam, even talk to you for weeks. Once your money is sent, they vanish, never to be seen again. If you want to reimburse someone for travel expenses, a good way is to do so is upon their arrival.
• A scammer will pretend to be interested in you and then send you a link to website or a phone number where you will be required to pay a subscription fee to see the scammer's profile, see them on "web cam", or speak with them. These scammers work for the companies and are collecting a profit for everyone they can get to sign-up.
• Offers to help you find a job - The scammer will offer to help you find a job, often a very desirable one in exchange for a "fee".
• "To Good to Be True" profiles and stories - The scammer posts a picture of a woman who looks like a fashion model with a profile that says everything you like to hear. Then later on after you are seriously interested, they start to make monetary or personal financial information requests.