Before making a major purchase or agreeing to a major expense, such as car repair, make sure you know that the party you are dealing with is reputable. 123Pi will perform a background check to provide you with the information you need to make your decision.

Read carefully any document before signing it, no matter how long the document is.

Be very wary of high-pressure sales tactics and demands that you "must act now" to receive a special deal.

If you believe you have been defrauded, be skeptical of any offers by other parties who claim they can help you recover your losses. This second party may be working with the original con artist to victimize you a second time.

Use caution when dealing with telemarketers. Well-educated, socially active senior citizens with above-average incomes are becoming the prime target in telemarketing scams these days. Some of the sales pitches include phony prizes, illegal sweepstakes, sham investments, and crooked charities.

If you are planning on making repairs or improvements to your home, it is important to know your contractor. 123Pi will perform a background check on the individual and company to relieve your concerns. Beware of anyone that shows up at your door uninvited.

Watch out for callers who claim to be "bank examiners." These con artists will try to convince you to help catch a dishonest teller at your bank; all they really want is for you to give them your money. The best thing to do in this situation is end the call immediately, no matter what the so-called bank examiner tells you.