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...
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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...
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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....
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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...
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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...
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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....
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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A BIG Thank you to Ayers Repairs in Santa Barbara 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 hunt
successful. According to the 2022 BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report, employment scams
rose to the second riskiest in 2022. Being proactive in finding the right opportunity is
key, but be careful when a job just seems too good to be true.
Tips to avoid holiday job scams
● Employers will never ask for payment upfront for a job. Beware businesses that
ask applicants to pay for job supplies, application, or training fees. These
expenses are the employer's responsibility - and asking for money is a big red
flag that something is wrong.
● Be wary of job offers that don't require an interview. Even during the peak hiring
season, reputable companies prefer to talk to top job candidates before hiring
them. If a job offer is presented without an interview (on the phone or in person)
or is offered only via the Internet, question the company's hiring practices and do
a little more digging.
● Be wary of big money for small jobs. If an employer promises outrageously good
wages for simple tasks such as reshipping packages, stuffing envelopes, or
answering phones, this is a red flag. These too-good-to-be-true offers are an
attempt to steal your personal information from a fake job application and can
cause problems for you for a long time.
● Never work for a company before they hire you. A legitimate company will not
ask potential applicants to complete complex projects before making an official
offer. Before beginning any work, request an offer letter or written confirmation of
what the job entails, including an official start date and compensation details.
For more information
Read more about employment scams and how to avoid them.
For more holiday tips, visit the BBB Holiday Tips page.
Until Next Time!