Invisible Thieves

Invisible Thieves
Have you received an e-mail like this?

photos.com

Watch out for scams. You could lose your money or identity.

This message is top secret. I am from Nigeria. There are millions of dollars that have been put
in my account. But I can't transfer it out of the country because of local laws. If you send a
thousand dollars to cover the processing fee, I will put a million dollars in your account as a
reward. Send me the money order and your account number. This is 100 percent real, with no
risk to you.

Sounds like a great deal. In fact, it sounds too good to be true. And it is. It's a scam. A scam is
meant to trick people. You will never get a million dollars-or your money back.

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 Invisible Thieves

Jeff Shake

Your Number Is Up
Many spam, or junk, e-mails try to get your money. They are from people who are "phishing"
for your personal information. When people phish, they send out spam with the hope that
you'll fall for their trick. They want your name, credit card numbers, and Social Security
number. That information can be more valuable than your money! Once someone has your
personal information, he or she can use your credit card. The thief can even steal your
identity and pretend to be you when buying things.

Devon, 18, from San Diego, California, told Extra that his identity was stolen when he was just
a kid! The thief used Devon's Social Security number to get credit cards in Devon's name.
Devon now has trouble getting credit cards. He was almost turned down for a cell phone. "It
was very upsetting," Devon said. "[The thief has] been using [my information] for 10 years,

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 Invisible Thieves

and I'm only 18!"

Protect Yourself
It is important to protect yourself from e-mail scams and people who phish for information.
Never give out personal information. And if an offer sounds too good to be true, it is.

Quick Quiz
Top 10 Categories of Fraud Complaints

· Identity Theft
· Internet Auctions
· Foreign Money Offers
· Shop-at-Home/Catalog Sales
· Prizes/Sweepstakes and Lotteries
· Internet Services and Computer Complaints
· Business Opportunities and Work-at-Home Plans
· Advance-Fee Loans and Credit Protection
· Telephone Services Others

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 ReadWorks Vocabulary - auction

auction auc·tion
Advanced Definition
noun
1. a public sale at which prospective buyers bid for goods and merchandise.

They're having an auction to sell off the collection of things that filled up that old
house.

We love to buy old furniture at antique auctions.

transitive verb
1. to sell by means of an auction (often fol. by off).

The government auctioned off the farm.

These are some examples of how the word or forms of the word are used:
1. Just for the record, a person can't legally own a moon rock. That means that if you were to see
a moon rock on eBay, the online auction site, you shouldn't buy it.
2. Soon after, Isabella too was separated from her mother. She was auctioned-along with other
slaves, horses, and cattle-and purchased for $100. She was sold again and again, from
master to master, until she was emancipated in 1828.

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Definitions and sample sentences within definitions are provided by Wordsmyth. © 2015 Wordsmyth. All rights reserved.
 ReadWorks Vocabulary - opportunity

opportunity op·por·tu·ni·ty
Definition
noun
1. a chance for a better situation.

The new job is a wonderful opportunity.

Advanced Definition
noun
1. a chance for an improved situation.

The job offer is a wonderful opportunity.

2. auspicious or favorable circumstance.

This is not a time of opportunity.

Spanish cognate
oportunidad: The Spanish word oportunidad means opportunity.

These are some examples of how the word or forms of the word are used:
1. Recess gives students the opportunity to take a break, exercise, and socialize with their friends.
2. "We believe the world should be fair, so that everyone has the same opportunity to... have a good life," he
said.
3. Graf's students are excited to see what happens. "We have the opportunity to do something new," Kaylee
Durham, 10, told Senior Edition.
4. In Harbin, the temperature can fall below zero. That gives people there a great opportunity, or chance, to build
with tons of snow and ice.
5. "I believe this program is a great opportunity for educating both children and adults about the history of our
country," says lawmaker Michael Castle from Delaware.
6. Maya had taken Spanish classes all throughout middle school and high school, knowing that she would have
the opportunity to visit her extended family once she graduated.
7. I have learned so much from this opportunity to really talk to my grandmother about her life. I encourage all
kids to take any chance they get to spend time with their grandparents.
8. A moment of silence gives students an opportunity to focus. "There should be a moment of silence because it
gives [students] a chance to think about the challenges [that they] will face that day," says sixth grader Ana
Vermulin.
9. "Whenever you watch the real Olympics on TV, you root for your country," Steven told Weekly Reader. "I have
a firsthand opportunity to represent the U.S.A. Instead of watching the games, I actually get to be the athlete
this time."

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Definitions and sample sentences within definitions are provided by Wordsmyth. © 2015 Wordsmyth. All rights reserved.
 ReadWorks Vocabulary - valuable

valuable val·u·a·ble
Definition
adjective
1. considered to have great worth or importance.

She is a valuable friend.

That is valuable information.

Advanced Definition
adjective
1. having great material or monetary worth; expensive.

She hadn't realized that her antiques were so valuable until she had them
appraised.

2. having inherent merit or worth; useful; important.

Recognizing that she was a valuable employee, her boss offered her a raise.

The police were able to get some valuable information from the eyewitness.

noun
1. (usually plural) an item of great monetary worth, such as a piece of jewelry.

He keeps his valuables in a safe at the bank.

Spanish cognate
valioso: The Spanish word valioso means valuable.

These are some examples of how the word or forms of the word are used:
1. Africa has many important natural resources. The continent is rich in diamonds, gold and oil. It
also has many valuable forests.
2. To the untrained eye, coltan looks worthless. But it contains one of the most valuable metals
on Earth: tantalum. It's that metal that helps power cell phones, MP3 players, and video game
consoles.
3. Why did the South Koreans clone a dog? Scientist Hwang Woo Suk says cloning genetically
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Definitions and sample sentences within definitions are provided by Wordsmyth. © 2015 Wordsmyth. All rights reserved.
 ReadWorks Vocabulary - valuable

identical dogs will help scientists study human diseases, such as cancer. "[Dog clones] could
be very valuable in finding technologies useful for curing human diseases," he told the BBC.
4. The Arabs, however, brought more than just finished products to Ghana. They also brought
their culture and Islam with them. The Arab world had many valuable accomplishments and
great knowledge. Ghana's king valued Arab wisdom. He used many Islamic ideas to help
organize his kingdom.
5. They want your name, credit card numbers, and Social Security number. That information can
be more valuable than your money! Once someone has your personal information, he or she
can use your credit card. The thief can even steal your identity and pretend to be you when
buying things.
6. Archaeologists believe that the burial site discovered by Peter Adams was part of a Viking
settlement. Items found at the site included weapons, spurs, a horse harness, a drinking horn,
and a copper belt. Also found were a ring and a bracelet made of jet, a form of coal considered
to be as valuable as gold.

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Definitions and sample sentences within definitions are provided by Wordsmyth. © 2015 Wordsmyth. All rights reserved.
 Invisible Thieves - Comprehension Questions

Name: ___________________________________ Date: _______________

1. What do most junk e-mails try to do?

A. get your money

B. crash your computer
C. go to your trash folder
D. give you information

2. What should you do to protect yourself against people who want to steal your money?

A. write and read a lot of personal emails

B. only give out personal information if someone needs it to transfer money
C. never give out personal information
D. never use the Internet

3. Why was it hard for Devon to get a credit card after someone else stole his identity?

A. The person who stole Devon's identity bought things while pretending to be him.
B. It's hard for someone to get a credit card in San Diego.
C. Devon was too afraid to get a credit card, because he thought someone would steal
it.
D. It was impossible for Devon to prove he was himself.

4. "I can't transfer my money out of the country because of local laws."

In the sentence, the word transfer most nearly means

A. earn
B. borrow
C. spend
D. move

5. The passage "Invisible Thieves" is mostly about

A. a famous thief and how he hid from police

B. tricks to steal your personal information
C. top secret information about Nigeria
D. how to pay for something by credit card
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 Invisible Thieves - Comprehension Questions

6. What will happen if you send a thousand dollars to a stranger who says he needs it in
order to send you a million dollars?

7. Is the person who wrote the email in the first paragraph really from Nigeria?

8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word or phrase that best
completes the sentence.

People who have your personal information can steal from you, ________ don't give
your personal information to strangers!

A. while
B. after
C. unless
D. so

9. Which object shows something that has become a dangerous tool for those who are
committing fraud?

10. If you gave someone money without expecting him/her to pay you back, are you a
victim of fraud when they don't pay you back?

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 Invisible Thieves - Comprehension Questions Answer Key

1. What do most junk e-mails try to do?

A. get your money

B. crash your computer
C. go to your trash folder
D. give you information

2. What should you do to protect yourself against people who want to steal your money?

A. write and read a lot of personal emails

B. only give out personal information if someone needs it to transfer money
C. never give out personal information
D. never use the Internet

3. Why was it hard for Devon to get a credit card after someone else stole his identity?

A. The person who stole Devon's identity bought things while pretending to be
him.
B. It's hard for someone to get a credit card in San Diego.
C. Devon was too afraid to get a credit card, because he thought someone would steal
it.
D. It was impossible for Devon to prove he was himself.

4. "I can't transfer my money out of the country because of local laws."

In the sentence, the word transfer most nearly means

A. earn
B. borrow
C. spend
D. move

5. The passage "Invisible Thieves" is mostly about

A. a famous thief and how he hid from police

B. tricks to steal your personal information
C. top secret information about Nigeria
D. how to pay for something by credit card
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 Invisible Thieves - Comprehension Questions Answer Key

6. What will happen if you send a thousand dollars to a stranger who says he needs it in
order to send you a million dollars?

If you send a thousand dollars to a stranger who says he needs it to send

you a million dollars, you will never get a million dollars - or your money
back. [paragraph 2]

7. Is the person who wrote the email in the first paragraph really from Nigeria?

The person who wrote the email in the first paragraph is probably not
really from Nigeria. That person is probably just using that information to
confuse you and give you a reason to give them your personal information.
[paragraph 1]

8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word or phrase that best
completes the sentence.

People who have your personal information can steal from you, ________ don't give
your personal information to strangers!

A. while
B. after
C. unless
D. so

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 Invisible Thieves - Comprehension Questions Answer Key

9. Which object shows something that has become a dangerous tool for those who are
committing fraud?

10. If you gave someone money without expecting him/her to pay you back, are you a
victim of fraud when they don't pay you back?

No, because you willingly gave them the money knowing that they may not
pay you back so you have not been tricked or deceived by that person.

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