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 Auto Repairs in Santa Barbara for making Scam Squad possible!
Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust!
After more than three years of relief, the payment pause on student loans is coming to an end. The U.S. Department of Education recently announced that student loan interest will resume September 1, 2023, and payments will be due starting in October. This student loan news affects millions of Americans, which creates an excellent opportunity for scammers. In fact, BBB has already received multiple reports of scams related to student loan repayment citing “new 2023 guidelines.” Get to know the signs of a scam and always be sure to do your research before sharing any personal information.
How the scam works:
You receive an email, letter, or phone call from someone claiming you are eligible for “student loan consolidation,” “payment reduction program,” or a similar service. This new benefit is allegedly part of “the new 2023 guidelines,” and the scammer may even claim to represent the Federal Student Aid (FSA) department. If you respond, the scammer will ask you for personal information to “confirm your identity” or to “check your eligibility.” This information might include your Social Security number, name and address, and even your FSA.gov login information. One student loan holder reported the following experience: “I received an email stating that the Student Loan Department has been trying to contact me to tell me all of my student loans are eligible for forgiveness under the new 2023 guidelines. They wanted me to call the number between 11-7pm in Albuquerque, New Mexico and give them information in order to process forgiveness.” At this point the loan holder reached out their student loan company and learned that the email was scam. After “verifying your identity” the scammer will offer you an enticing plan to reduce your loan repayment. If you agree, you may end up making payments a third-party in vain for months or even years. None of your payments will go towards your student loan. And even if you don’t make a payment, sharing personal information puts you at risk for identity theft.
Tips to avoid student loan forgiveness scams
● Get to know the terms of your student loan and the relief program before acting. Always do your research before sharing personal information. Be sure to understand the ins and outs of your specific loan and how student loan terms impact you. You may have to research who your current loan servicer is since it may have changed. Reach out to them to explore all your repayment options and make sure your contact information is up to date. For information, go straight to official government websites, such as ED.gov and studentaid.gov.
● Never pay money for a free government program. Scammers often trick victims into paying for free government programs – or they claim you can get additional benefits, faster benefits, etc., for a fee. A real government agency will not ask for an advanced processing fee. These are all red flags of a scam.
● Be wary of out-of-the-blue calls, emails, or text messages claiming to be from the government. Generally, the government will not contact you using these methods unless you grant permission.
● Watch out for phony government agencies or programs. If you speak to someone claiming to be a government representative offering you student loan relief, research before you agree to anything. Scammers often make up look-alike government websites that sound similar to legitimate agencies or programs.
● Think something seems suspicious? Reach out to the agency directly. If you have any concerns about an alleged government representative's legitimacy, hang up the phone or stop emailing/texting. Then, find the official contact information (look on ED.gov and studentaid.gov or other official sites) and call to verify. Then, report suspicious calls or messages.
● Be careful, even if the information comes from a friend. Even if a close friend or family member you trust sent you the information regarding student loan relief, make sure the claims are real first. During the COVID-19 pandemic, BBB received many reports of hacked social media accounts being used to spread government impostor scams. For more information Read more on BBB.org about scams targeting recent college graduates and government impostors. Get further insight by reading BBB’s tips on loans and credit repair services. If you’ve spotted a student loan forgiveness scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your report can help others avoid falling victim to scams.
Until next time!