Well, here's ONE way to take advantage of new media!

Although I full force support local television stations trying to find ways to generate revenue utilitzing the internet, I would definately not recommended this particular approach. From NBCAugusta.com's website:


Macon, Ga. (NBC NEWS)- It's a scam involving a so-called television station in downtown Macon, Georgia. The Web site for "Action 25 News" is ripping consumers off across the state, and possibly the nation. It's a story the Better Business Bureau is now investigating.


Courtni Klosloski thought she had found the perfect job. "I was thinking to myself, wow I'm going to be able to put a thousand dollars away for my daughter's college, I'm going to be able to pay this, pay that. Our lives are going to change," Klosloski said.


After posting her resume to monster.com, she was directed to a fake TV news Web site, WACT, Action 25 News, a cable channel out of Macon. The site was complete with weather updates, an "award winning news team", and a consumer reporter claiming to know how you can make $84,000.


"I fell for it hook, line, and sinker," Klosloski said. She used her credit card to purchase a set of job training DVDs, costing almost $300. "1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 ... 5 ... and by six you know you have been scammed."


Frantically, she tried to reach WACT, but each try has led to a dead end. She also tried to call consumer reporter Dave Howard, the newsroom, human resources, even the operator, but was led to the same recording: "Please leave your name, phone numbers, and any message and your calls will be returned. Thank you for calling.


Our calls were not returned, so we visited the station address.


According to the website, Action 25 News stands here in the midst of Ben's Macon Radiator Service. Shop owner, Ricky Tucker was surprised to hear he was sharing an address with a scammer. "Well that's what they tell me, but its news to me," Tucker said.


The mailing address was another dead end. The Post Office box provided doesn't exist in the city of Macon. We also attempted to track the website domain name. It led to frank milan, but his account was set to private, offering no answers.


"If you could make $84,000 at home in your slippers, you and I would both be home, you know, it just doesn't happen," said Kelvin Collins with the Better Business Bureau. "They've sold the DVDs. That's all they are interested in doing. They couldn't care less. They sold you the DVDs--that's what they wanted to do," Collins said.


But that is little comfort to Courtni Klosloski, who still is unemployed.


According to the local BBB, Courtni, who lives in Alpharetta, is probably one of many across the country who has fallen for the scam. The national Better Business Bureau who will take over the case from here.