Scams arise

Tough economic times can make people desperate to grasp any opportunity that comes their way without fully investigating what is being offered.

Such an atmosphere spawns scams as unscrupulous people dream up ways to separate victims from their money.

That is why the Federal Trade Commission seeks to crack down on crooked enterprises that offer nonexistent jobs, quick wealth and other false claims that prey on people's dreams and hopes.

A California firm named Family Products promoted get-rich programs through many means — DVDs, brochures and infomercials. But the quick wealth promised did not materialize for 600,000 people who lost a collective $300 million, according to the FTC.

In fact, the claims were bogus, and the company became one of the targets of "Operation Short Change" announced by the FTC in partnership with the Justice Department.

Another company, Job Safety USA, promised customers certifications for a cleaning job, the Associated Press reported. One victim paid $89 but never received the certification. More than 400 people were bamboozled, the government said.

The government is taking some of the alleged scammers to court in an effort to shut down the operations and recover victims' money.

The FTC has taken on 15 such scams, and dozens of additional cases have been brought by the Justice Department and several states, AP reported.

If the companies identified are taking advantage of people as the government says, they should be prosecuted severely. But consumers should always be wary of get-rich-quick schemes and offers that seem too good to be true.