"If you have to send $250 to claim your prize, odds are it's a scam."

PEORIA - From Hurricane Sandy frauds to fake Newtown charities,  2012 was fraught with scams and the Better Business Bureau has tips to avoid them.

AARP sent out a warning in the mail. It said, "If you have to send $250 to claim your prize, odds are it's a scam."

The Better Business Bureau says top scams this year include fake government programs claiming to pay utility bills, people being asked to pay back loans they never took out and scammers pretending to be grandchildren stuck in a foreign country in need of money.

"Don't make a decision on anything right away. If you're feeling pressured into doing anything or if something sounds really good it's a key indicator that you need to stop and do some homework first," said Jessica Tharp from the Better Business Bureau.

Tharp says, if anything ever looks questionable, you can always call the Better Business Bureau office and ask if it's a scam.