Federal Trade Commission statistics show New Yorkers among least likely to be scammed

New Yorkers can smell a con from a mile away.

Federal statistics show city residents are among the least likely to fall victim to fraud.

Scammers successfully ripped off more than 1.3 million consumers across the U.S., but the city didn't even make the list of the top 50 complaint centers.

The most vulnerable? Mount Vernon-Anacotes, an area with 116,000 residents in Washington State, came in No. 1 when measured by population.

"New Yorkers are smarter and more cynical than most; that's the only explanation I can give you," said Leonard Gordon, New York regional commissioner for the Federal Trade Commission, which released the data. "And we don't know why Mount Vernon-Anacotes was No. 1."

U.S. consumers reported paying $1.7 billion in fraudulent charges - a category separate from money lost to identity theft.

New York didn't make the top 50 for ID theft, either, though more than 18,000 residents statewide claimed they were targeted.

Brendan Davies of Brooklyn was one victim, banged for $500 on his debit card, a $7,500 line of credit on an Internet shopping site and a $225 phone bill that originated in Europe - all after a grifter stole his ID.

"In the end, I found spyware and viruses on my computer that enabled the thief to get my debit card information. I do a lot of online shopping," he told the Daily News.

He said he didn't have to pay the bills because he notified the banks, credit card companies and merchants involved.

"It took me weeks to get it sorted out. Now I've got so much security on my computer," said Davies, 37, a musician.

Others aren't as lucky.

Gordon said that that with the ongoing recession, he sees a major increase in bogus prizes, sweepstakes and lotteries.

"You pay an entry and get nothing in return, and the fraudsters disappear with the money," he said.

Other ruses on the rise are the work-at-home and fee-for-employment scams, Gordon said.

"They say, 'Send us $100 or $200 and we'll get you a job.' Or 'Send us money for this at-home employment' and of course there's no job and again, the scam artists disappear," he said.

Daily News