With the United States approving several COVID-19 vaccines, government officials expect scams to emerge as distribution begins. Watch out for everything from phony treatments to phishing messages. What to Expect from Scammers: Government officials have al-ready been cracking down on phony COVID testing kits and treatments. Now, they are ramping up efforts to prevent the …
Tag: Shelley Polansky
Permanent link to this article: https://www.50plusmarketplacenews.com/377677/better-business-bureau/a-covid-19-vaccine-is-on-the-way-so-are-the-scams
Sep 01 2020
Government impostor scams prey on fear during pandemic
One of the most common scams in the U.S. today involves callers pretending to be government officials. Some claim to be tax officials and representatives from the Social Security Administration; others claim to be law enforcement officers and threaten legal consequences. All of them use fear and intimidation to trick victims into turning over personal …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.50plusmarketplacenews.com/364446/better-business-bureau/government-impostor-scams-prey-fear-pandemic
Jul 07 2020
Want a COVID-19 test? There’s a scam for that.
Some new studies show that up to 50% of people with COVID-19 don’t show any symptoms, so many people are wondering if they had the disease without knowing it. Fortunately, an antibody test can identify if your body has already fought off the virus. Unfortunately, scammers are cashing in on-demand and creating phony tests, according …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.50plusmarketplacenews.com/361010/better-business-bureau/covid-19-test-theres-scam-that
May 05 2020
Don’t Fall for Face Mask Cons
NOTE: BBB continues to monitor changes in the marketplace in reaction to COVID-19. Visit BBB.org/coronavirus for the latest information. As the outbreak worsens, BBB.org/ScamTracker has received numerous reports about scam websites claiming to sell face masks online. As you strive to keep yourself and loved ones healthy, watch out for phony e-commerce sites and other scams. …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.50plusmarketplacenews.com/357333/better-business-bureau/dont-fall-face-mask-cons
Apr 07 2020
Scam Alert:
Donors beware – that charity may not be what it seems! In the past few months, BBB.org/ScamTracker has gotten more than a dozen reports of a nonprofit organization using what consumers think are shady tactics to solicit donations. Potential donors beware! If an organization isn’t a charity, then contributions are not “donations” and cannot be …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.50plusmarketplacenews.com/350448/better-business-bureau/scam-alert
Mar 03 2020
File Your Taxes Early to Avoid Tax ID Theft
Tax season is here, and so are the scammers. Con artists are using the Social Security numbers of unsuspecting Americans to file phony tax returns and steal their refunds. How the Scam Works: You file your taxes as normal and expect a refund from the IRS. Instead, you get a written IRS notice saying that …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.50plusmarketplacenews.com/348149/better-business-bureau/file-taxes-early-avoid-tax-id-theft
Feb 04 2020
Scam Alert: Miss Jury Duty? Scam Preys on Fear
Despite running for years, this con still successfully uses threatening calls and intimidating emails to scare people into paying up. Jury duty scams have staying power because they prey on the fear of law enforcement. How the Scam Works: Answer the phone, and it’s someone claiming to be from the local law enforcement or judicial …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.50plusmarketplacenews.com/346766/better-business-bureau/scam-alert-jury-duty-scam-preys-fear
Jan 07 2020
Scammers to Steal Your Card Information at Gas Stations
Con artists’ new way to steal payment information has evolved to using Bluetooth technology and going through the back end of the gas station’s point of sale system. Gone are the days that skimmers were bulky and easy detect; this new piece of technology is slim and virtually undetectable. The hack doesn’t appear to affect …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.50plusmarketplacenews.com/343919/better-business-bureau/scammers-steal-card-information-gas-stations
Dec 03 2019
New Device? Beware of Scams When Activating It
A favorite tactic of scammers is to convince consumers to pay for services that would otherwise be free. BBB Scam Tracker (BBB.org/ScamTracker) is getting reports of a con where scam artists charge activation fees for devices that are, in fact, completely free to set up. The scam works like this. You purchase a new media …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.50plusmarketplacenews.com/338406/better-business-bureau/device-beware-scams-activating
Nov 05 2019
Tips to Learn to How to Avoid Charity Scams
Con artists are experts at playing to our emotions and scammers can use charitable causes to tug on your heartstrings, so it is important to stay vigilant as you try to do good. Bad actors can try to hook you by misleadingly claiming that they will help particular individuals (like veterans or cancer patients), using …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.50plusmarketplacenews.com/332498/better-business-bureau/tips-learn-avoid-charity-scams
Oct 01 2019
Use Caution When Asking for Auto Dial
Tell Alexa to play your favorite song. Ask Siri about the weather. Use Google Assistant to turn down the air conditioner. But don’t ask your smart device to look up a phone number, because it may accidentally point you to a scam. The scam works like this. You need the phone number for a company, …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.50plusmarketplacenews.com/329662/better-business-bureau/caution-auto-dial
Sep 03 2019
DNA Testing Scams Expose Senior to Many Risks
The recent growth in popularity of DNA testing, as it has become cheap enough to use for reasons other than specialized medical testing, has also led to an explosion of DNA testing scams. The fraud starts with scammers first gathering large amounts of DNA samples. They might do this at events frequented by seniors, such …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.50plusmarketplacenews.com/327438/better-business-bureau/dna-testing-scams-expose-senior-risks