fraud

I prepaid my membership at a yoga studio that was set to open last week. Now the place is empty with no forwarding info. Can I get my money back?

If you've prepaid a membership to a fitness club and the place shuts down with no notice, it may be a challenge getting your money refunded.
January 23, 2026 Alex Summers
a jobseeker

I paid $500 for a “guaranteed job placement” service. The job turned out to be a pyramid scheme. What can I do?

It started with a promise that felt almost impossible to resist. A guaranteed job placement, a clear path to financial stability, and a website polished enough to quiet any doubts. The testimonials sounded sincere, and the person on the call spoke with the kind of confidence that makes hesitation feel unnecessary. Paying $500 seemed less like a risk and more like buying peace of mind. For a moment, everything lined up—welcome emails, orientation videos, plenty of talk about “unlocking potential”. Then the cracks appeared, and the confidence faded as the training looked nothing like the job it was supposed to lead to. The assignments that followed raised even more questions. Instead of tasks related to the promised role, there were instructions to invite friends to “opportunity webinars” and post vague motivational lines online. Whenever clarity was requested, the answers became increasingly indirect. Eventually, it hit with uncomfortable heaviness: this wasn’t a job. It was a cleverly disguised recruitment scheme, one where income depended on persuading others to sign up and pay the same fee. That moment of realization was frustrating and embarrassing, but once the sting settled, a more important question took its place—what now?
December 30, 2025 Peter Kinney

I helped my friend apply for Social Security disability. Yesterday she told me she never reported her income as a freelancer. Am I complicit in fraud?

When you helped your friend apply for Social Security, you didn't realize she didn't report her income as a freelancer. Here’s how to protect yourself against accusations of fraud.
November 7, 2025 Sammy Tran

Enron: The Anatomy Of A Fiasco

The Enron scandal was the biggest corporate fraud in American history, a cautionary tale about weak oversight and unethical practices.
September 22, 2025 Peter Kinney
Scam Int

My sister faked cancer to get our parents to give her their life savings. Now they’re broke. What can I do?

When a family member fakes a serious illness to gain money or sympathy, the fallout can be devastating. Now that the deception has been uncovered, the natural next thought is: What can be done? This is a step-by-step guide that explores legal, financial, and emotional actions victims—or their family members—can take in the aftermath of such a betrayal.
August 13, 2025 J. Clarke