loader from loading.io

BBB Shares Password Tips

Your Moment of Trust

Release Date: 05/12/2023

Wrong Number Text Scams show art Wrong Number Text Scams

Your Moment of Trust

A Podcast by BBB of the Tri-Counties:   A BIG thank you to Ayers Automotive Repairs in Santa Barbara for Supporting this Podcast! Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! A new text message scam seems so innocent that it’s tempting to reply. But con artists are using phony “wrong number” texts to lure victims into conversation and falling for a scam. How the scam works You receive a text that reads something like this: “Hey is this John? It’s Amanda. We chatted on Tinder before when I came to visit my cousin but we never met irl. I’m back in town if you want...

info_outline
How Much to Tip... show art How Much to Tip...

Your Moment of Trust

A Podcast by BBB of the Tri-Counties: http       A BIG thank you to in Santa Barbara   Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! The end of the year is a time to show appreciation for those who provide necessary services and little luxuries in your daily life. But this year, the increased cost of goods and services means you may need to pay extra attention to your tipping budget. Even if you are limited in what you can give, there’s no need to feel uncomfortable. A little extra thoughtfulness can go a long way. Determining who to tip and how...

info_outline
Choosing the Perfect Gifts for your Pets show art Choosing the Perfect Gifts for your Pets

Your Moment of Trust

A Podcast by BBB of the Tri-Counties:  https://www.bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-of-the-tri-counties A BIG thank you to Ayers Automotive Repair for supporting this podcast! https://www.ayersrepairs.com Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! Even with inflation worries this holiday season, most pet owners still plan on spoiling their fur babies with holiday gifts. According to a poll by Chewy in 2022 (Chewy is a BBB Accredited Business), more than 90% of pet owners include their pets on their holiday shopping list, and another study shows that giving to pets makes people happy....

info_outline
Sticking to your Holiday Budget show art Sticking to your Holiday Budget

Your Moment of Trust

A Podcast by BBB of the Tri-Counties     A BIG thank you to Ayers Automotive Repair for supporting this podcast. https://www.ayersrepairs.com Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! Supply chain problems, shipping delays, and inflation can make it even tougher to create and stick to a budget during the holidays. This meansthat planning ahead and knowing your sp ending limits are more important than ever. How can you build a holiday budget that will cover buying for everyone on your list while keeping you out of debt? BBB recommends the following steps for...

info_outline
Sports Memorabilia Scams (Warnings from BBB) show art Sports Memorabilia Scams (Warnings from BBB)

Your Moment of Trust

Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! When shopping for a team jersey or other sports memorabilia, Watch out for fakes. Scammers know that authentic game-used and/or autographed items can fetch big bucks – especially for items commemorating big games. When shopping online, it can be hard to trust that a seller or product is genuine. Follow these tips when buying sports memorabilia: “Game-used” items are highly sought after. Buyers prize items that saw action on the court or field as valuable parts of sports history. Consumers should be aware that there is a...

info_outline
BBB's Holiday Tips on Scoring  Hard to Find Items show art BBB's Holiday Tips on Scoring Hard to Find Items

Your Moment of Trust

Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! National experts are predicting an increase in spending this holiday season. There is also a concern if many of the items on consumers' holiday lists will be available on the shelf or online and are faced with the disappointing words: “Sorry, this item is currently out of stock.” That’s especially true when there are challenges with supply chains. But does that mean the words “out of stock” are the end of the line? Not at all. With a little determination and some creative thinking, the item might be found and purchased....

info_outline
Class Action Lawsuit Scams to Watch Out For! show art Class Action Lawsuit Scams to Watch Out For!

Your Moment of Trust

A podcast by   A BIG thank you to in Santa Barbara for supporting this podcast!   Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! You’ve likely heard ads on the TV or radio about the Camp Lejeune class action lawsuit for U.S. military veterans and their families exposed to tainted water at the camp. Marketing agencies and law firms spent over $40 million advertising the lawsuit. Now, scammers are jumping on board too, hoping all the media attention makes it easier to trick people, especially military personnel, into falling for common scam tactics. How the scam...

info_outline
Beware of Holiday Job Scams! show art Beware of Holiday Job Scams!

Your Moment of Trust

A Podcast by   A BIG Thank you to for Supporting this Podcast Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! Retailers and shippers traditionally hire seasonal workers to fulfill holiday shoppers' demands, whether online or in person. These jobs are a great way to make extra money, sometimes with the possibility of turning into a long-term employment opportunity. However, they are sometimes not all that they seem. When looking for something part-time or to fill the gap until a better opportunity comes, the Better Business Bureau has some suggestions to make the seasonal job...

info_outline
ZOMBIE DEBT...Don't Let it Come Back to HAUNT YOU! show art ZOMBIE DEBT...Don't Let it Come Back to HAUNT YOU!

Your Moment of Trust

A Podcast by BBB of the Tri-Counties:  A BIG thank you to Ayers Automotive Repair in Santa Barbara, for supporting this podcast. Welcome to this week's edition of Your Moment of Trust! Zombie debt is defined as debt that has been “raised from the dead,” so to speak. It could even be something you never owed at all.  When a person doesn’t pay a debt, the lender will take action – by phone, letter, or even a court case – to collect the money they are owed. In some cases, though, the debtor simply can’t pay or can’t be found. In other cases, the debtor files...

info_outline
Did you Make this Purchase?  DON'T ANSWER THIS TEXT! show art Did you Make this Purchase? DON'T ANSWER THIS TEXT!

Your Moment of Trust

This Podcast is Brought to you by A BIG thank you to of Santa Barbara for supporting this podcast!   Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! One of scammers' favorite tactics is impersonating a person or organization you know and trust. That's the premise of this new text message scam, which has been popping up in recent BBB Scam Tracker reports. This time, con artists are impersonating your bank. How the scam works You receive a text message that looks like a fraud alert from your bank. It claims there is some unusual activity in your...

info_outline
 
More Episodes

A Podcast by BBB of the Tri-Counties: https://www.bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-of-...

A BIG thank you to Ayers Automotive Repair for Supporting this Channel!

Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! Buying refurbished items can save you money, but it’s important to research before you take the plunge. While many reputable businesses offer quality pre-owned electronics, appliances, and other products for a fraction of their original price, BBB Scam Tracker has received reports of con artists ripping off consumers by promising a great deal on “like-new” devices that they don’t plan on delivering. How the scam works: You find a website that sells refurbished items ranging from car parts to cellphones to hair dryers. The site looks legit, and they are selling a high-dollar item you want for a price that fits your budget. You decide to purchase through the website or a payment app like PayPal (a BBB Accredited Business). Then, a few days after receiving your order confirmation, you wonder why you haven’t received a shipping confirmation. You reach out to the company, and they respond with an excuse. They may claim they are understaffed or have had a problem with their supply chain. Still, they assure you the item will be shipped soon. As more time passes, it eventually becomes clear that the seller has no intention of shipping anything. Each time you try to contact them, they either have more excuses or become impossible to reach. One consumer reported, “I was told multiple times the delay was from the owner being in a major car crash or dealing with a catastrophic medical accident. They even told me they were moving shop (more delays) and then that they had moved personally, which slowed delivery.” Unfortunately, the item you ordered doesn’t exist, and you’ve li lost the money you paid for it.

How to avoid refurbished product scams:

● Carefully examine a website before making a purchase. Before doing business with an online retailer, examine their website carefully. Not only should it have quality photos and typo-free content, but it should also have working contact information. In addition, you’ll want to research to find customer reviews and complaints. If you find reports of scams or no reviews at all, think twice before making a purchase. Always double-check the URL you are visiting to ensure you aren’t on a fake website.

● Understand what the term “refurbished” means. Keep in mind that refurbished means different things to different manufacturers. It can mean the product had shipping damage and was returned; it could refer to an open box product, a demo model, or an item that was broken and returned to the manufacturer. Find out what a company means by refurbished before you commit to a purchase. Remember that unauthorized third-party resellers are a big risk, especially if they don’t offer returns. Even if a reseller claims the manufacturer has refurbished the item, there’s no way you can confirm it. Buying under these circumstances is a big gamble.

● Ask about return policies. It can take a while for problems to show up, so make sure you have the option to return a refurbished item. If you can’t return it, or the return window is only a week or two, it may not be worth the risk.

● Inquire about warranties. Some manufacturer-refurbished items have an extended warranty, but this isn’t always true. Find out if the item you’re interested in qualifies for a warranty and what the conditions are. Warranties can come in handy if the refurbished item does have issues down the road. Know that anything marked “as-is” won’t have a warranty.

● Buy refurbished products from the manufacturer when possible. When a manufacturer gets a returned product, they recondition it to be like-new. They use original parts and trained repairmen to get the job done. An item refurbished by a third party may not get the same treatment. It could be repaired by someone who isn’t an expert with the brand, or it might contain different parts. Either issue means it won’t be in like-new condition when you buy it.

● Use a safe payment method. Always make online purchases with your credit card. If an online retailer doesn’t deliver on their promises, it will be easier to dispute the charges, and you’ll be more likely to get your money back. Until next time!