"People have not received their loan, nor have they had their money refunded," BBB in Houston states. Consumers in Texas, Oklahoma, Florida and other states have been targeted.

BBB staff members have confirmed that there is no business by name of Kirkland Russell and Thomas at company-provided address in Houston. The Council of Better Business Bureaus sent a letter to KRT Financial Group regarding BBB trademark infringement and false advertising; it has not received a response.

The BBB warns individuals and businesses not to pay in advance for a loan and to never send personal financial information to unknown businesses.

BBB members in Arkansas, California, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Texas, Utah, and Washington have reported that they were contacted by an individual posing as a BBB employee.

The callers generally claim to be phoning about a BBB complaint or to "update" BBB files. They attempt to solicit information that is not normally required in order to conduct business with or be a member of BBB. The callers ask for names of various managers (the head of finance or information technology) and number of work stations at that business location. Businesses have reported that callers became rude and used threatening language when questioned about BBB’s need for such information or nature of complaint.

The callers leave a 1.800.CALL.BBB (225-5222) as their contact phone number. That phone number, which is NOT owned by BBB, is constantly busy. Some businesses report that caller gave name "Dave Sebastian". Other names that have been used are Claude Ashley and Frank. One caller spoke with a foreign accent.

"Businesses need to be aware that any representatives from BBB would clearly identify themselves and leave a working phone number. We seek voluntary cooperation of businesses to resolve disputes and would not hesitate to provide details concerning a complaint," Hunter said. "If you receive a call from anyone representing BBB and are unsure as to their authenticity, we urge you not to disclose any information and to contact your local BBB immediately."

Dean Phillips is an Internet marketing expert, writer, publisher and entrepreneur. Questions? Comments? Dean can be reached at mailto: dean@lets-make-money.net

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8. Credit Repair Scams: These scams promise to erase accurate, negative information from your credit file so that you can qualify for loans, mortgages, unsecured credit cards, etc. It doesn't work. Not only that. If you follow their advice and lie on loan or credit applications, misrepresent your social security number, or get an Employer Identification Number from Internal Revenue Service under false pretenses, you will be committing fraud and violating federal laws. Another variation of this scam is promise of a brand new credit file. Don't do it.

9. Vacation, Sweepstakes And Prize Award Scams: In these scams you receive notification congratulating you because you've won a fabulous vacation, a car or some other prize award. All you have to do to collect your prize is pay a small fee (usually several hundred dollars). In return, what you end up getting is a toy car, (I kid you not) or a vacation certificate to Bahamas or some other exotic vacation spot. It's really a lousy deal. You have to pay for your own airfare, and accommodations that they arrange are usually in rundown hotels. Let buyer beware!

10. Employment Scams: Employment scammers take advantage of job seekers. They claim to offer employment services, inside information or inside contacts to jobs. After paying a fee, victims learn they only provide advice, help writing a resume--or less. Some fraudulent employment services simply sell lists of companies that they have gotten from public directories. They usually have not contacted those companies directly or know if there really are any job openings.

11. Multi-level Marketing (MLM) or Network Marketing Scams: I know I'm going to ruffle a few feathers with this one, so let me just say right now that all MLM or network marketing companies are not scams. Obviously, there are some good, reputable companies out there. However, there are so many bad ones that I'm compelled to include entire industry on this list. Before getting involved with any MLM or network marketing company, investigate, investigate and then investigate some more. Don't get caught up in hype. And here's a fact no MLM or network marketing company will ever tell you--not even legitimate ones: Unless you have outstanding sales ability and/or people skills, it is extremely difficult to make any money in MLM or network marketing.

Here are some other things you should watch out for: Make sure website you’re visiting contains all three of following:

1. A real persons name (not just a company or business name)

2. A telephone number

3. A street address (not just a P.O. Box)

If all three of above are not present, walk away from offer.

Before purchasing anything, you should always check first to see if company has had any complaints lodged against it. The following websites publish complaints and/or scams:

http://www.scamwatch.com

http://www.worldwidescam.com

http://www.bbb.org

If you do get scammed, report it to aforementioned websites immediately. You probably won’t be able to recover your money. Few people ever do. But at least by reporting crime and making it public record, you make it harder for that company to scam anyone else.

In closing, always carefully investigate any business opportunity, and remember: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Dean Phillips is an Internet marketing expert, writer, publisher and entrepreneur. Questions? Comments? Dean can be reached at mailto: dean@lets-make-money.net

Website: http://www.lets-make-money.net