As much as any one tries, it is becoming more and more difficult to keep pace with the clever scam artists that are operating in various markets today. No sooner do people find a method to safeguard from one scam than another emerges in the market. This article provides a countdown to the five dirtiest scams operating in the world today.

Number Five:Mortgage Elimination Scams

These scams are targeted at the hordes of mortgage borrowers who are unable to keep up with their mortgage payments. Certainly to these people advertisements promising elimination of their mortgages are irresistible. When they approach the mortgage providers, they would require some fee to begin their processing, which could run into the thousand dollar mark. Furthermore, the borrower could be made to sign on some illegal loan applications. The result: the loss of the home or multiplication of their debt, plus criminal charges.

Number Four: Investment Scams

Gullible people who are always on the lookout of multiplying their money without having to do much are the targets of investment scams. Such companies would invite investors with low and discounted deposits including an enormous interest rate. They would provide fabulous but superfluous guarantees like building up on the investments in as much as a few hours, but such fantastic claims actually belie their genuineness. New investors are also duped by such con masters. The result: the loss of hard earned money and a crashing down of over-optimistic hopes of becoming rich easily.

Number Three: Mortgage Loan Scams

These scams rate highly among all the mortgage scams prevalent in the market today. Their prime targets are the people who want to wrangle out of their mortgage payments or are looking for hefty reductions on them. In order to avail of lower payments, such mortgage owners do not hesitate to fill forms ? even online ? replete with their credit card numbers, bank account numbers, social security numbers and other such vital information. This is all that is needed for the scam operators to make hay. The result: higher repayments, more indebtedness and even possible loss of the home.

Number Two: Business Opportunities

These scams operate hugely on the internet. They promise huge incentives and money coming their way, only if they purchase some so-called ?kit? from them. The kit usually doesn't cost much, and there are perpetually ?never before? and ?once in a lifetime? kind of discounts associated with them. People do not mind paying for such kits as the charges are not too high; but the scamsters do make huge money by fooling several people around the world. Needless to say, there is no job offered. In terms of sheer volume of people duped at one attempt, this scam should rank at number one. The result: people losing small sums of money that they don't mind much, and the scamsters earning enough money to last a lifetime.

Number One: Credit Card Scams

These scams could be the most elaborate kind of scams operating in the world today. There are hundreds of ways in which people can get hold of credit card information of someone, either through secure forms filled, or transaction details or even from the garbage dumps. This scam also operates very abundantly over the telephone. Scam operators call the cardholder, purporting to be from the issuing bank, and ask for credit card details. They could provide features for which verification of details could be necessary. It is very common to use such information make fake credit cards and use them to spend vast sums of money. The result: paying huge bills on purchases that were never made, and, not to mention, loss of creditworthiness.

So, here is the countdown to the most common scams. The best way to protect yourself from them is to first understand how each market operates and then to take proper precautions before signing for anything. Always keep your personal information personal and do not divulge this to anyone, even if the person claims to be from the service provider company.