The Better Business Bureau has seen a steady increase of consumers checking on work-at-home opportunities.

These are schemes that are designed to separate you from your money.

This month, we found one online "company" touting a Tucson, Ariz., address but when BBB staffers (Tucson's, not ours) went to the address, they found that it was actually a Catholic school.

Look out for these warning signs:

- Overstated claims of effectiveness.

- Exaggerated claims of potential earnings, profits, or part-time earnings.

- Require money for instructions or merchandise before telling you how the plan operates

- Tell you that no experience is necessary.

ADVANCED-FEE LOAN scammers operating out of Canada are using the names and locations of reputable companies to steal from unwitting consumers. Consumers are wire transferring around $2,000 each in advance fees to Canada.

Consumers never receive the promised loan and some are even contacted for additional payments for "insurance" and "collateral."

The BBB reminds consumers that advanced-fee loans are illegal in the U.S. and Canada and also warns consumers to never do business with lenders who request money prior to disbursing the loan funds.

Remember, when it doubt, check it out: www.bbb.org.

THE BBB HAS been aggressively warning consumers and businesses to be careful when clicking on links in unsolicited e-mails requesting personal information. Apparently it is working, because the scammers are now acknowledging this in their e-mails, such as the one below:

"We regret to inform you that we have received numerous fraudulent e-mails which ask for personal account information. The e-mails contained links to fraudulent pages that looked legit. Please remember that we will never ask for personal account information via e-mail or web pages.

"Because of this we are launching a new security system to make accounts more secure and safe. To take advantage of our new consumer Identity Theft Protection Program we had to deactivate access to your card account.

"To activate it please call us immediately at (XXX) XXX-XXXX.

"Activation is free of charge and will take place as soon as you finish the activation process."

This is just another clever way that these scammers use to get your money.

AREA CONSUMERS HAVE reported receiving calls from an unidentified caller explaining that everyone who pays into Social Security is now required to have a medical ID card.

What is needed to get your card? You guessed it: Just verify your Social Security number.

The BBB reminds you to never, never, never give out your personal information over the phone unless you initiate the call and know exactly who you are calling.

Your bank or credit card company will never call and ask you to verify your information over the phone.

THE FIRST BBB/GALLUP Trust in Business Index survey found that nearly one in five (18 percent) adult U.S. consumers say their trust in businesses that they regularly deal with has decreased in the past 12 months, more than twice as many who say their trust increased (8 percent).

The survey also found that less than half of American consumers (49 percent) say they have a great deal (12 percent) or quite a lot (37 percent) of trust in businesses that they regularly deal with.

For more details on the poll, go to www.bbb.org.

Kelvin Collins is the President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Central Georgia & the CSRA Inc. which serves 41 counties between Augusta and Macon. Questions or complaints about a specific company or charity should be referred to the BBB at (800) 763-4222 or info@csra.bbb.org.