It seems a new scam consumer is born every minute, and a new one has just reared its ugly head on Facebook. Its goal is to get your credit card information. Its method is distraction.
Subscription service revenue models have been on the rise. After all, what's more reliable to a company's bottom line than a monthly subscription revenue stream? But this practice has taken a drastic turn lately, as online consumers unknowingly default into monthly subscription services, and many fail to see the small check box to opt-out. What seems like a one-time purchase can surreptitiously become a non-refundable recurring monthly fee. And many consumers have only been able to recover their losses by filing a lawsuit.
As state and federal consumer protection departments know, the holiday season is ripe for scams. Nothing is sacred when it comes to scammers, and they don't mind taking advantage of people who are trying to do nice things over the holidays.
From online and in-store shopping to shipping, there's a lot to be mindful of when sharing financial information. Here are five of the most common scams to watch out for this holiday season.
Romaine lettuce is involved in yet another E. Coli outbreak, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issues its most broad warning to date. Do not eat romaine of any kind -- neither bagged nor head, nor boxed romaine mixed with other leafy greens. Not in a restaurant or at home. Regardless of expiration date, and regardless of whether you have already eaten parts and feel great. The warning also extends to our Canadian neighbors to the north.
Following through on previous announcements, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) issued a ban on selling flavored e-cigarette products at traditional convenience stores. They will now only be allowed to be sold at age-restricted tobacco stores and online stores that use age-verification checks. The FDA could see carving out exceptions for convenience stores that have a completely separate, age-restricted section.
A hotel guest was quite literally bugged by a few things during a recent stay at Anaheim's Disneyland Hotel in April 2018. In a lawsuit she filed in Los Angeles Superior Court this week, Dr. Ivy Eldridge claims the Disneyland Hotel failed to provide her with a bedbug-free room, and as a result, ended up with welts and bites on her face, ears, neck, arms and back. Walt Disney Co., Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Disneyland Hotel are all named defendants in the negligence lawsuit. The plaintiff seeks punitive damages as well as damages for physical and mental suffering.
It came as no surprise that the airlines kept jacking up their prices and limiting their services, often at a time when jet fuel prices were plummeting. Consumers had almost given in to the turbulence of high ticket prices. But the winds are changing, and the settlements are coming.
All of us have heard the phrase "too good to be true." And most of us know to be skeptical of any claims a company makes on its potential for growth. So, when an entrepreneur tells potential investors that value in the firm will increase by 25,000 percent, that would be enough of a red flag to scare us off.
But not big enough, apparently, for investors into rapper/actor T.I.'s cryptocurrency, FLiK Token. The currency opened at a price of about six cents per token, and was touted to hit $14.99 within 15 months. That didn't quite materialize -- FLiK Token is currently trading at less than a single cent -- and those investors are pissed. They're suing T.I. (n�e Clifford Joseph Harris Jr.) and cofounder Ryan Felton, looking for $5 million in compensation for what they're calling a cryptocurrency pump-and-dump scheme.
Your dishwasher is overflowing; your clothes dryer is on the fritz; your refrigerator isn't running. A malfunctioning appliance can turn your home upside down, and worse, cause more damage than some dirty dishes. So, we trust that when we call a business calling itself "A Plus Appliance Repair" or "Rescue Appliance," that we'll get a competent repair person who can fix what's wrong.
But that's not what was happening in Cincinnati, according to a lawsuit filed by the Ohio Attorney General. The suit claims Terry Haynes was taking payment from prospective customers, then never delivering on the repairs.
How often have you reached into your wallet to grab a credit card, only to discover it's missing? When that happens, no doubt you immediately have a rush of adrenalin, feeling financially exposed. Hopefully you just left it at home when you used it to pay for something online at your desk. Or maybe you left it in your blue jeans pocket with your driver's license from the night before. Should you worry? The answer may surprise you.
