"If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is!"

We frequently receive questions from clients as to whether specific business opportunities are legitimate or not. There are a number of agencies which provide information about questionable business practices and fraudulent activities to be wary of.

Some of the best sites to use for this type of information include:

• Service Alberta - Consumer tipsheets
• Alberta Securities commission (includes Investor Alert - Investment Schemes in Alberta)
• Consumer Connection (includes Principles of Consumer Protection for Electronic Commerce)
• Canadian Consumer Information
  Look for "Fraud/Deceptive Practices"
• RCMP Economic Crime Prevention Section
• Phone Busters
  Ontario Provincial Police - combatting telephone fraud
• Heads Up Fraud Prevention
• Better Business Bureau Alerts
• U.S. Federal Consumer Information Center
  posts excellent information on frauds and scams of all kinds, click on the "scams and frauds" button
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
  Search for the term "cyberfraud"
• Crimes of Persuasion

Consumers are now able to complain about misleading cross-border electronic commerce following the launch of www.econsumer.gov.