With the economy tumbling downwards further by the day, many people seem to be looking for an easy way out of financial trouble -- and some are paying dearly for it.

Nearly four times more consumers than usual have fallen for telephone or internet scams over the past few weeks, according to telecommunications giant Telus.

"It's really starting to peak," said Shawn Hall, media relations for Telus. "The fraudster will prey on people's natural tendency to want to help out, want to win a prize, all those kind of things, our emotional tendencies, to try and separate from information or money."

Most scams are coming from outside the country, so both Telus and the RCMP fraud division Phonebusters don't recommend placing a complaint unless you've lost money or have given out personal information.

But scammers aren't usually coming up with new ideas; they are using tried and true techniques to dupe the public.

The communications agency says these four scams seem to be the most prevalent:

  • Credit card limit increase phone scam -- The caller claims to be from a credit card company, offering a credit increase for your card. They ask for information to verify who you are, but if the caller were from a credit card company, they would have that information on hand. If you ever have any doubts of the authenticity of a call, ask for a call-back number. Scammers will almost never give you one; just hang up.

  • Fraudulent emails: This scam involves an fraudulent e-mail, some appearing to be from Telus, for safety/ maintenance from spam mails. The sender requests personal information including a name and password, claiming that the receiver will be disconnected if they do not reply. Official sources would never need to know your password; delete this e-mail.

  • Vehicle warranty scam: Several versions of this scam exist. In most cases the caller is attempting to sell a warranty extension for your vehicle. Some organizations have been banned from soliciting in B.C. after they were found to be misrepresenting their products. Use caution and remember: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

  • The big prize scam: Fraudsters call or e-mail claiming to have a huge lottery wining in your name, but request an up-front fee to deliver your winnings. No legitimate lotteries work like this; just hang up the phone or delete the e-mail.

If you can remember these scams, experts say the chances are good that you'll be safe from fraudsters.