ConArtists

Even as many Americans struggle to make ends meet, scammers are plotting all sorts of sneaky ways to rob them of their money -- and in millions of cases, they succeed. When it comes to these cons, the best offense is a smart defense, so here's an intro course in how to spot the latest scams.

Almost 30 years ago, the government's breakup of AT&T changed how telecom billed customers, and scammers discovered a loophole that let them slip unauthorized fees onto consumers' monthly phone bills. Since then, "cramming" has grown into a multibillion dollar a year con game.

As if it wasn't bad enough that your hero is dead, can you imagine how it must feel to anyone who because of their devotion to Michael Jackson winds up with more spam than ever in their e-mail?That's right. Now that the King of Pop is gone, con artists have begun sending out e-mails with offers for...