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...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 PetsYour 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 BudgetYour 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)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 ItemsYour 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!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!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!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!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_outlineWelcome 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. Here are BBB’s tips for finding items that are sold out in stores.
How to buy out-of-stock items
● Try a different store. Avoid limiting the search to the most popular brick-and-mortar stores. Consider researching multiple vendors’ websites to see who is carrying stock. If the large chain stores are out of what you need, try a reputable independent shop or a different type of store entirely. For example, when toilet paper was in short supply at grocery stores, some consumers found stock in unlikely places, such as hardware stores, restaurant suppliers, or office supply stores.
● Check websites frequently. If there is an item out of stock when shopping online, don’t give up hope right away. Bookmark the product page and check back daily. Many vendors restock high-demand products on a regular basis.
● Sign up for restock alerts. Many companies offer restock alerts, which are usually sent by email. For example, on Amazon, look for an availability alert on a product's information page. Amazon will send an e-mail when the item becomes available. Keep in mind, you still have to go to the website or store to make the purchase once the alert arrives.
● Go straight to the product’s source. If a brand name item isn’t available from a favorite retailer, check the brand’s official website to see if it’s in stock there. If not, consider getting in touch by emailing customer service or reaching out through social media.
● Take advantage of return policies. If you suspect that an item will sell out quickly but you aren’t sure if you really need or want it, review the store’s return policy. If a store gives you the option to return an item and offer a refund, you may want to purchase the item as soon as it’s available. You can always send it back if it doesn’t fit your needs, but you may regret not purchasing if the stock runs out for good.
● Search for products on resale sites. If a product appears to be gone for good, don’t lose hope just yet. Some resale sites may offer hard-to-find products. That said, watch out for scammers when looking for this year’s hottest toy or a product that is very popular. Con artists prey on desperate shoppers by pretending to have an item that is impossible to find, accepting payments, and then never delivering the product.
● Consider a personal shopping service. Personal shoppers can do the heavy lifting if there is a very specific product you are hunting for. Be sure to read reviews and ask for recommendations from friends and family members before deciding to hire.
● Try out a subscription service. Subscription services offer regular deliveries of cleaning products, clothing and more. If the local stores are running out of fresh produce, for example, consider a meal delivery service.
● Be patient. Sometimes, despite the best efforts, it just may not be possible to find most popular items. If this happens to you, be patient. You may have to wait a few months until suppliers can meet consumers’ demands.
Until next time!