//Video Game Horror Stories

Playing video games is meant to be fun and relaxing ... except when someone’s trying to take your money!

Beware of these situations that may ruin your video game fun:

• Farmville, Mafia Wars, etc.
  If you’ve ever been on Facebook you’ve no doubt seen these games posted on friends’ status updates. If you’re not careful, playing them can cost you big bucks. These games work by getting you to spend money to “level up” faster. If you don’t have the cash, you can take advantage of offers from advertisers in exchange for virtual cash. The problem? Many of the offers are designed to take your money, such as fake mobile services and costly subscriptions that are difficult to cancel. You may not even know you signed up for anything until after you get the bill.
  
• Video Game Tester
  You’ve seen the ads on the Internet: “Get Paid to Test Video Games” and “Make $80 an hour!” When you click the link, the site is asking for a $35 application fee and a credit card. What’s wrong with this offer? First of all, real game testers make closer to minimum wage. Second, reputable companies won’t ask for an application fee. Stay far away from these guys.
  
• Free XBOX Offer
  This usually involves a banner ad stating you’ve been selected to win a free Xbox (or Wii or iPod, etc.). The only catch? You have to provide your debit card information to pay for shipping. Do this and you’ll quickly find money disappearing from your account. Oh, and the Xbox never arrives.