ALBANY - Psst. Want a great deal?

That's the kind of sales pitch state officials warn consumers must resist more.

The still popular classic ploy of “free money” today is joining the Internet dialer scam and the jury duty hoax as part of what the state Consumer Protection Board includes in its top 10 scams for the holidays.

“All of these offers sound like great bargains, but you'll have better luck pulling on a turkey wishbone,” said Teresa A. Santiago, executive director of the state Consumer Protection Board.

Santiago and consumer advocates say the holidays are particularly dangerous for consumers. They said the generosity and benevolence of the season, as well as a more urgent desire for bargains, can let down the guard of even wary consumers.

And scammers know it.

The Federal Trade Commission also warns that legitimate retailers may be worth watching closely.

For example, when is a sale not a sale? When it's a sale on an item that isn't there.

The FTC warns consumers to make sure they read for things such as “quantities limited,” “no rain checks,” and “not available in all stores” which could result in a wasted trip to the store and an impulse buy at a higher price.

The FTC also suggests comparison shopping online, factoring in travel costs for bargains at distant stores, and a careful look at the return or refund policy.

Santiago along with the National Consumers League, the Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York, and the online watchdogs Ripoffreport.com and ConsumerAffairs.com say there are are several repeated scams to which consumers should be attuned.

Although legitimate companies are allowed to market the new prescription drug plans now available under Medicare, some scammers are using telemarketers and unsolicited e-mails to try to steal money and financial information. The Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York said legitimate providers can't do door-to-door or e-mail selling. While legitimate companies can use telemarketers, they must abide by state and federal Do Not Call lists.