The ten biggest scams and rip-offs of 2009!

The recession has inspired sneaky scammers to be even more inventive in getting their hands on our cash. Here are the ten worst offenders.

It's been a pretty grim year. Barely a month has gone by without a new warning about yet another ropey scheme or compltete rip-off aimed at separating you from your hard-earned cash, from dodgy door-to-door salespeople to firms taking advantage of those people desperate and in debt.

I've put together my list of the ten worst scams of the year - and how you can avoid becoming another victim.

#10 Bogus shopping sites

This is a very timely one with Xmas only just passed. Recent months have seen a spate of fake shopping websites spring up, either selling counterfeit goods or items that they have no intention of dispatching.

Whenever you get an email from a retailer, always be sure to check the spelling of the web address, as the dodgy versions often have a subtle mis-spelling. Also, when purchasing goods online, if you are on the payment page, make sure there is a padlock in the address bar - a surefire sign that the site is safe.

For more on this scam and how to protect yourself, check out This scam will ruin your Christmas

#9 Claims management

This is a rip-off rather than a scam, but nonetheless it will see you out of pocket with nothing to show for it.

If you want to make a complaint against a financial firm, there are plenty of ways to do it without handing over a penny. Claims management firms will handle your complaint for you, at a charge, but offer nothing that you can't do yourself. Don't waste your money!

Have a read of Got a complaint? Avoid this rip-off! to see just what a waste of time and money these firm are.

#8 Congratulations - you've won the Lithuanian Lottery!

This is an old one, but continues to do serious damage to Brits' finances. According to the Office of Fair Trading, fake lottery scams are costing the public around £260m a year, with 140,000 adults losing an average of £1,900 each year!

The tell-tale sign that this is a scam (besides the fact you've never bought a ticket for the lottery in question) is that you'll be asked to stump up 'administration fees' to process your win, or to provide personal information to verify you are the winner.

#7 Dodgy HMRC emails

These work in a very similar way to the bogus shopping sites. Recently, there has been a spate of emails sent out pretending to be from HM Revenue & Customs, warning the recipient they may have not paid enough income tax.

The emails contain a link to a fake version of the HM Revenue & Customs homepage, which invites you to enter a host of personal information.

Simple thing to remember - HM Revenue & Customs will NEVER send out such an email! For more on this scam and how to avoid it, check out Beware of this taxman scam!

#6 Mobile phone fraud

In many scams, the idea is to get enough of your personal information that they can steal your identity, and mobile phone fraud is just the latest form the scammers have come up with to do just that.

The scammers get hold of your details, then contact your mobile phone operator, posing as you, add additional handsets to your account, and run up massive bills. Be sure to read Don't get caught out by this new fraud to find out what you need to do to guard against this scam.

#5 Recruitment site scams

With unemployment nearing three million, there are an awful lot of Brits turning to the internet in search of work. However, some unscrupulous individuals are trying to take advantage of the situation by milking them for cash through dodgy recruitment websites.

Here at lovemoney.com, we have put together an in-depth explanation of the scam, and how to stay safe in this piece: Watch out for this recruitment scam!

#4 Debt buying

Yet another debt praying on people's money troubles. A number of dodgy firms have been peddling their schemes where they offer to buy or sell on your debts. However, it's illegal for debt to be sold without the lender's permission, so you will still be responsible for the repayments!

Check out Avoid this sneaky con for the full run down on this scam, and how to protect yourself.

#3 Landline mis-selling

Half a million people a year fall victim to landline mis-selling, which is when a shady salesmen essentially switches which phone company you are registered with, against your wishes.

Thankfully, you can protect yourself against their dodgy tactics - have a read of Watch out for this phone scam! for a full run-down of what you need to know.

#2 Dodgy door-to-door salesmen

There are plenty of absolutely legitimate door-to-door salesmen, but equally there are a stack of very shady characters who use it as a technique to rob you blind.

The Office of Fair Trading has recently launched a campaign to raise awareness of just how risky it can be to sign up to anything a doorstep trader is flogging - around three million people have thus far been caught out, with the average loss a nasty £600.

For a full guide to the tricks these chancers employ to scam you, be sure to read The scammers you cannot avoid.

#1 ID Theft insurance

Plenty of the scams listed above are aimed at stealing your identity, but the biggest rip-off of all is a financial product pitched as protection from it!

Getting identity theft insurance is just a massive rip-off - you aren't even covered for any financial losses that are a result of having your identity stolen! It's an absolute joke, and is basically preying on people's fears and milking them for cash.

We explain just what the insurance covers and doesn't cover, and why it's a waste of time, in Avoid this expensive rip-off!

Get help from lovemoney.com

If you don't want to fall foul of scammers, there's plenty of ways lovemoney.com can help!

First of all, why not check out this video on a big debt myth: The truth about bailiffs

And if you have any questions relating to scams or rip-offs, why not see if your fellow lovemoney.com readers can help by asking a question in our Q&A section?

More: The time has come to ditch your bank! | Why pay day loans suck