This story appears in the
April 2000 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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If you think you can't get fleeced by Web con artists, think
again: One million small businesses have been, according to Senator
Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-MO).
How does it work? Crooked Web site operators "cram"
phony charges onto businesses phone bills or credit cards, says
Bond, whose Senate Committee on Small Business has held hearings on
the scam. Here's how to spot it: Usually, there's a
"free, no strings attached" trial offer of Web site
hosting, development or marketing services. Then monthly charges
keep showing up.
If you think you've been ripped off, log on to the FTC's
Web site (www.ftc.gov)and click on
"Complaint Form," or send an e-mail to kit_bond@bond.senate.gov.
To contact Robert McGarvey e-mail him at rjm@mcgarvey.net.