Have you heard of this one? It's apparently making the rounds, after having been around a while, including at least once in Kansas City. In the most common scenario, guys are selling speakers and audio equipment out of the back of their van. They lure people passing by at gas stations and other busy places, claiming to have great deals on merchandise.

Guess what? It's stolen, fake, defective, etc. The lesson here should be obvious: you buy stuff from guys in a van, you take your chances. Also, we like to give out four essential consumer rules. Most fraud victims violate at least one of these. And sure enough, that's true in the van scam too.

Which rule are these victims breaking?

1. Never give out personal info to anyone who contacts you.
2. Don't pay full price for a product or service you haven't received yet.
3. Deal with companies you know or that are recommend by someone you trust.
4. Don't make financial decisions under pressure.