Ask Asa: Consumer Federation Of America Releases List Of Most Dubious Opportunities

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - There are opportunities that look good -- and sound even better -- but in the end they just waste your money. Scams are everywhere, and on Tuesday the Consumer Federation of America released its list of the most dubious opportunities.

LINK: Click Here To See The Full List

Car sales and "bait and switch" repairs generated thousands of complaints. That was followed by credit-card surprise charges and credit repair. Add in home contractors and home remodelers who don't finish work and you have the top three scams, according to the watchdog group.

The Consumer Federation of America tracks scams reported to 38 watchdog groups and agencies around the country. As for consumer close-calls, professional writer June Lay scored an anti-scam double play.

A published writer with her resume posted on the Internet, she received a job offer -- not to write -- but to conduct surveys for a company as a mystery shopper.

"They were ready to have me start immediately, and I would be paid $200 just for going into one of the outlets nearby," Lay told CBS 2's Asa Aarons.

When she didn't bite at signing up for the job, they made it a little more enticing.

"And lo and behold there was a check for a couple of thousand dollars," Lay explained.

The check looked legitimate, but Lay ran the routing numbers and became suspicious. Sure enough, the check was fake.

"I realized that this was definitely a scam, and that's why I decided to contact you -- so that you can make everyone aware of it," Lay told Aarons.

Both bogus jobs and phony checks designed to trick you into sending real money are on this year's list of top scams.

The Consumer Federation of America estimates that tens of thousands of consumers have fallen for the scam that Lay encountered.

What would top your list of the biggest scams in today's society? Let us know in the comments section below...