Dave Van Pelt knows it’s a scary world out there. He’s heard many of the horror stories when it comes to scams — everything from bogus charities to identity theft to Nigerian money-laundering scams.

“The biggest misconception people have is that they think the people who are scamming them are dumb,” he says. “But in reality, they’re extremely smart. You wouldn’t believe how creative some of these scam artists can be. You start asking yourself, ‘Who can I trust out there?’ ”

Well, for starters, you can trust the nonprofit group BBB Scam Busters, an offshoot of the Better Business Bureau’s Education Alliance. The group’s goal is to help you identify and avoid scams, whether you’re a consumer trying to shop online, a job-seeker desperate for employment, or a senior citizen overwhelmed by the digital culture.

Van Pelt, who heads up the group, spent much of the past year educating the community about the multitude of scams out there, often alluding to his favorite mantra, “If something looks to good to be true, it probably is.”

Q.What are your biggest tips for avoiding scams?
A.I’d say to never, ever give your information out online or to anyone you don’t know. A lot of scams will ask you to give information, such as your account number or your Social Security number, but give you hardly any info back. They want you to just fill in the blanks. Remember that if your bank wants to get a hold of you, they’ll do it by mail, or they’ll ask you to come into the office.

Also, if you see something that comes in the mail or over e-mail that says irs.gov, don’t answer it. The IRS never says irs.gov. They always say Internal Revenue Service. Lastly, never carry around your Social Security card in your wallet.

Q.What are some classic red flags for scams?
A.There’s really no definitive answer here, but there are a few things to look out for. One, if you get something in the mail or e-mail that’s full of grammatical errors and hard to understand, it’s probably a scam. Two, if you get a surprise check in the mail, make sure you look at the routing number. A lot of times, you’ll get a bogus check that only has, say, six digits in the routing number [instead of the standard nine].

Or, you might get a check in the mail that’s for way more than you were supposed to receive. They’ll generally ask you to cash it, keep some for yourself, and then send the remainder back to them. That’s never how it works, and if you see something like this in the mail, just shred and discard it immediately.

Q.What about secure online buying? Any tips here?
A.First off, you want to make sure the business is accredited by the BBB and has a good rating. Another thing is to make sure you can use a credit card when purchasing online. That way, if something turns out to be a scam, you can talk to your credit-card company and hopefully get your money back. Another good bet is using sites like PayPal and VeriSign, two very reputable companies.

On the other hand, try to avoid wiring payments through companies like Western Union. Scammers often ask you to do this because it’s harder to track that way.

Q.If you do suspect a scam, what can you do?
A.Very simple: Go to our Web site (bbbscambusters.org) and click the “Report a scam” link at the top of the page. Or if you’d rather do it over the phone, you can call our hotline (336-201-0788). We’ll take a look at it and hopefully get back to you within an hour or so. We are in the process of setting up an e-alert program that sends alerts to people on our mailing list when we suspect a new scam.

Q.With all the scams out there, what are some general rules of thumb to remember?
A.Well, you’re right, there are way too many scams out there to talk about them all individually, especially with the new Haiti scams. But I have a very simple philosophy that states, “When in doubt, don’t.” These scammers are good. They know people are desperate these days, and they know how to tug at your heartstrings.

But in today’s climate, you can never be too sure. There’s nothing in the world that’s so important that it can’t wait 24 hours. If you suspect something might be a scam, let us know about it and we’ll check it out. That’s not to say there aren’t some great offers and some great companies out there, but generally, if something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.

To stay on top of the latest scams, go to bbbscambusters.org.