Phony checks top list of ten most common money scams

Nearly 45% of people reporting being scammed were ripped off using a phony check scheme -- by far the largest type of fraud reported in the first six months of this year, according to the National Consumers League. The average dollar loss in that type of scam: $3,178.

The group said top-reported scams are linked to the down economy. Bad check scams often are tied to work-from-home proposals or apparent schemes to make easy money. A survey by the league found that due to the state of the economy, people are more likely to consider the idea of working from home.