SAN ANTONIO -- This is National Consumer Protection Week, and a warning is going out for people to watch out for scams.

San Antonio's Better Business Bureau listed the top five scams that attract victims and the list includes fraudulent "work at home" schemes.

Claudette Coughlin was nearly snared by one two years ago. She got a letter in the mail offering her a job as a secret shopper. The letter stated that the company would pay her for shopping with money and gifts and she thought it looked legitimate.

"(It said) I can go to Wal-Mart, get anything of my choice ... and keep it," said Coughlin in 2008.

But it was a scam and "work at home" schemes are number five on the BBB's list of top scams.

Number four is debt assistance scams. Number three is a scam involving a plea to wire money to help a friend or relative in trouble.

Number two is the frequent use of fraudulent checks, "where they'll supposedly send you a check, you cash it and wire them money," explained Dean Taylor, executive director of the San Antonio Better Business Bureau. "Those are always going to be a scam."

Last year, one local man became aware of a fraudulent check when a would-be renter sent a check for a vacation rental that was larger than required. The check from David Sisico arrived to pay for a rental on the Guadalupe River and the owner was supposed to wire the overage back. The check looked real but it was a fraud.

"If you ever have to wire money to someone, you really want to be careful of that," said Taylor.

The number one scam that gets more people here and across the nation is a tried-and-true favorite.

It is the offer of something for free. And there are plenty of local victims.

Last year, with dreams of beautiful hotels, sparkling waters and happy times, 82-year-old Choco Gonzalez accepted a free vacation that turned out not to be free.

"What is it going to cost," Gonzalez said she asked the woman on the phone. "'Oh, nothing. We send you all these coupons,'" said Gonzalez, paraphrasing the phone call.

But she gave them her debit card number and they took out $400. The bank's overdraft fee was another $35. Her free trip turned out to be a scam.

And during National Consumer Protection Week, the warning is: watch out for anything free. If you think something is a scam, contact the Better Business Bureau and they may be able to offer some advice. To check on companies you are thinking of doing business with, you can also log on to www.BBB.org.