Question

10 things you can do to avoid fraud
read the article \10 things you can do to avoid fraud.\ then answer questions 7 through 10.
\10 things you can do to avoid fraud\ by public domain/federal trade commission

1. international scam artists use clever schemes to defraud millions of people across the globe each year, threatening financial security and generating substantial profits for criminal organizations and common crooks. they use phone, email, postal mail, and the internet to cross geographic boundaries and trick victims into sending money or giving out personal information.
2. while con artists can be clever, many can be foiled by knowledgeable- and equally canny- consumers. here are 10 things you can do to stop a scam.
3. 1 keep in mind that wiring money is like sending cash: once its gone, you cant get it back. con artists often insist that people wire money, especially overseas, because its nearly impossible to reverse the transaction or trace the money. dont wire money to strangers, to sellers who insist on wire transfers for payment, or to someone who claims to be a relative in an emergency (and wants to keep the request a secret).
4. 2 dont send money to someone you dont know. that includes an online merchant youve never heard of- or an online love interest who asks for money or favors. its best to do business with sites you know and trust. if you buy items through an online auction, consider a payment option that provides protection, like a credit card. dont send cash or use a wire transfer service.
5. 3 dont respond to messages that ask for your personal or financial information, whether the message comes as an email, a phone call, a text...
6. a. which of these ideas is implied throughout the article?

a. consumer fraud is growing faster than other crimes because it is so profitable.
b. con artists can easily fool consumers who are unfamiliar with their schemes.
c. it is the governments responsibility to find ways to prevent and detect fraud.
d. the best way to avoid fraud is to conduct all business dealings in person.
b. which piece of information from the article supports the inference in part a?
a. it is nearly impossible to reverse or trace a wire transfer of money.
b. messages asking for personal or financial information are tricks to gain access to personal accounts.
c. it is illegal to play a foreign lottery.
d. if a check turns out to be fake, it is the person who deposited the check that is responsible for paying back the bank.

Explanation:

Part 8a:

• Option A: The article does not compare fraud growth to other crimes.
• Option B: The article states con artists use schemes to defraud, and informed consumers can avoid them, implying unfamiliar consumers are easy targets, which aligns with the text.
• Option C: The article focuses on consumer actions to avoid fraud, not government responsibility.
• Option D: The article recommends trusted sites/protected payments, not only in-person dealings.

Part 8b:

To support the inference that unfamiliar consumers are targeted, we need a detail showing con artists exploit consumer lack of knowledge. Option B describes how scammers use requests for personal/financial info to trick people, which is a scheme that preys on consumers who don't recognize the trick.

Answer:

8a. B. Con artists can easily fool consumers who are unfamiliar with their schemes.
8b. B. Messages asking for personal or financial information are tricks to gain access to personal accounts.