While many crooked e-mail schemes originate in other countries, a crackdown in the United States has resulted in action against 19 online cons. In one case, the Federal Trade Commission said a Florida company names Stuffingforcash.com told consumers they could earn up to $2,000 per week stuffing envelopes at home after paying an initial $45 deposit, but failed to send the promised envelope-stuffing materials.

About half the cases involved auction fraud. In a typical case, the Illinois attorney general charged Chicago resident Tim Engle with advertising merchandise for sale on eBay but failing to provide the goods after payment was received.

Two Missouri residents engaged in similar activity were sentenced to 12 years in prison for theft and writing bad checks.