It's a new year and the perfect time to make the next 12 months more prosperous than the previous year. But not everyone's fresh start is based on good intentions: Among con artists, hackers, and scam artists, their plans for financial self-improvement always come at someone else's detriment.
In order to protect yourself and your financial Fort Knox from the bad guys, you must first know what to watch out for. So here are some highlights from scams that made the rounds in 2011 -- and will likely be back in some form or another this year.
Motley Fool contributor Dawn Kawamoto does not own stock in any of the companies listed. The Motley Fool owns shares of Bank of America and Citigroup. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of Walt Disney and eBay, as well as writing puts on eBay.

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