An illegal debt collection scam that collected more than five million dollars from victims has been stopped by the Federal Trade Commission. According to the FTC, the scammers tricked victims into believing they owed payday loans. Callers would harass consumers into paying the fake loans by posing as law enforcement or government agencies. The settlement…
Category: scam
IRS Warning Public of New Scams
It seems like every year scammers are coming up with new tricks to try and steal the public’s hard earned cash. With technology constantly changing, the ability to deceive the masses has become an easier task to pull off. According to the IRS, since 2013, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration became aware of…
Scammers impersonate Publishers Clearing House, BBB
Scammers can be persistent, so it’s a good idea to be on your guard. A Waco-area woman recently received two calls from scammers who lied about who they were in an attempt to get her money. Luckily, she figured it out, didn’t get scammed and reported it to Your BBB. First, they tried it the “nice”…
Don’t get tricked by a fake hotel booking website!
Taking a vacation this summer? Be extra careful when booking accommodations online. Fake websites appear to offer travelers a convenient way to reserve hotel rooms, but they are just making money for scammers. How the Scam Works: You are planning a trip and need to book a hotel room. You see an online ad promoting…
BBB: Protect your personal information from identity thieves
Identity theft is serious problem. If they get your sensitive information, criminals could drain your bank account, change your contact information on various accounts, use your credit card, set up new credit cards or bank accounts in your name and more. You should do what you can to prevent this from happening, because ID theft…
Defendants in Spanish-language scheme banned from telemarketing, selling weight-loss products
In a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, defendants in a Spanish-language marketing scheme are banned from telemarketing and selling weight-loss products. The defendants allegedly charged Spanish-speaking consumers for unordered and defective products and made it costly or nearly impossible to get refunds. According to a the FTC, The Hispanic Global Way defendants sold products via…
BBB warns of scams targeting service members
Military Saves Week is an opportunity to focus on the financial readiness of Service Members and their families to help them reduce debt and save money for the future. But scammers are also interested in Service Members too. Better Business Bureau (BBB) and MilitarySaves.org wants to remind you to watch out for common scams that…
Top three scams targeting businesses
Education is key when it comes to protecting yourself and your business from fraudsters. To avoid falling victim to three of the most common business scams, everyone in your office needs to be alert and aware. Labor law poster scam: An important-looking letter addressed to your company informs you that you need to order new…
Jamaican man first to be extradited to the U.S. on charges in international lottery scheme
Your BBB regularly gets calls from consumers who were told they just won a big lottery prize–all they have to do is wire a few hundred dollars to cover some kind of fee. Of course, if they do, the money is lost and they never get their fake lottery winnings. Many of these lottery scams…
Fishing for romance this Valentine’s Day? Don’t catch a catfish!
BBB warns online users to beware of scams that could break hearts and wallets The Internet can be a good way to find romance–millions of Americans use online dating sites, social media and chat rooms to meet people. Unfortunately, those sites also give criminals an easy way to search for potential victims. Your BBB warns that…
BBB lists top 10 scams of 2014
Better Business Bureau hears from thousands of consumers and business owners every year about a variety of scams and frauds. Many are new twists on existing scams, but scammers get more sophisticated every year in how they spoof trusted names and fool consumers. Here are the most pervasive scams of 2014, based on our experience with…
Think you’re too smart to get conned? Think again!
There are certain scams you hear about and instinctively think of the victim, “What were they thinking? How could they fall for that?” On the flipside, scam victims are often so embarrassed they hate to even tell anyone what happened. If you think you’re too smart to get scammed, or feel dumb because you did get…
