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The FBI has identified at least eight Internet scams that are claiming millions of victims each year.

Internet auction frauds involve selling non-existent items on sites like eBay, with payment sent to a business partner, associate, sick relative, a family member, etc., usually in a European country. The money is usually transferred via MoneyGram or Western Union wire transfer.

FBI officials say people should contact the seller with questions before the bidding process is complete, review other buyers’ feedback and be cautious when dealing with foreign sellers.

Counterfeit cashiers checks involve sending a check that is thousands of dollars more than the price of merchandise and the seller is told the excess amount will be used to pay the shipping costs associated with getting the merchandise to his location. The seller is instructed to deposit the check, and as soon as it clears, to wire the excess funds back to the buyer or to another associate identified as a shipping agent. In most instances, the money is sent to locations in West Africa and the check is later found to be fraudulent.

FBI officials warn that all cashier’s checks should be inspected before trying to cash them, preferably by contacting the bank that issued the check. Obtain the bank’s phone number from a reliable source and not from the check itself. The amount of the check should match the selling price.

To prevent your credit card information from being stolen, the FBI says to make sure the website you are using is secure, reconcile your statement with the transaction to avoid unauthorized charges, and never give your credit card information to someone through an unsolicited e-mail.

Sometimes, those who can least afford to lose money are the ones targeted.

Debt elimination schemes generally involve websites advertising a legal way to dispose of mortgage loans and credit card debts.

Most often, all that is required of the participant is to send $1,500 to $2,000 to the subject, along with all the particulars of the participant’s loan information and a special power of attorney authorizing the subject to enter into transactions regarding the title of the participant’s homes on their behalf.

The FBI warns people to research the companies or individuals and obtain their name, address and phone number — be wary of businesses that use a post office box for an address. Contact the Better Business Bureau to determine the company’s legitimacy and ask for reference of previous customers.

At-home employment opportunities are cropping up everywhere. These positions often involve reselling or reshipping merchandise to destinations outside the United States. Their paycheck is significantly more than the employee is owed for salary and expenses, and the employee is instructed to deposit the check into their own account, and then wire the overpayment back to the employer’s bank, usually located in Eastern Europe. The checks are later found to be fraudulent, often after the wire transfer has taken place.

The FBI warns that people should be wary of exaggerated claims of possible earnings and to walk away if they require you to pay money up-front. They say to never give your Social Security information when first dealing with a company and to research the company through places like the Better Business Bureau.

FBI officials say you should never respond to unsolicited e-mails asking you for personal information. Instead, call your credit card company or bank to find out if they truly need that information. Never give your personal or credit card information to someone over the phone unless you make the call. Monitor your monthly statements to make sure there are no unauthorized purchases.

Lottery schemes deal with persons randomly contacting e-mail addresses advising them they have been selected as the winner of an international lottery.

The FBI warns that you should be leery if you don’t remember entering a lottery and to remember that it is against federal law to play foreign lotteries.

One of the latest scams is an e-mail from a legitimate friend, claiming to be stranded while traveling. But in reality, the friend’s e-mail has been hijacked by scammers.

“A sense of urgency to help their friend may cause the recipient to fail to validate the claim, increasing the likelihood of them falling for this scam,” FBI officials say. “If you receive a similar notice and are not sure it is a scam, you should always verify the information before sending any money.”

The FBI’s final word of advice: if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Look to make sure the check is perforated on at least one end of the check.

Credit card fraud is running rampant. Many people are using fraudulent or stolen credit cards to pay for items online.Identity theft costs victims millions of dollars each year. Typically, the victim is led to believe they are divulging sensitive personal information to a legitimate business, sometimes as a response to an e-mail solicitation to update billing or membership information, or as an application to a fraudulent Internet job posting.

Review a copy of your credit report at least once a year. Believe it or not, people actually fall for this.  Not to pay a “fee” or additional demands for money for your prize Nigerian scammers have been around for years. A communication comes from individuals representing themselves as Nigerian or foreign government officials, offering the recipient the “opportunity” to share in a percentage of millions of dollars, soliciting for help in placing large sums of money in overseas bank accounts.

The FBI warns that you should not reply to any e-mail asking for personal banking information, be wary of people representing themselves as foreign banking officials and never believe the promise of large sums of money for your cooperation.