Author Archives: virginiasmp

If you’re looking for a new job, getting paid to shop might sound like a dream. Companies hire mystery shoppers to try products or services and share experiences about things like buying or returning something, or their overall customer experience. But while some mystery shopping jobs are legitimate, many aren’t. So how do you spot the scams?Continue reading “Mystery shopping, (fake) checks, and gift cards “

The scammer who drained Laura Kowal of her $1.5 million nest egg and sent the widowed healthcare executive on a path that ended with her death in the Mississippi River, hundreds of miles from her western Illinois home, called himself “Frank Borg.” (Read More)

Planning a party? If you need to rent chairs, decorations, a bouncy house, or any other supplies, take extra caution when searching for rentals. BBB Scam Tracker continues to receive reports of party hosts being tricked by rentals that don’t materialize. Before planning your next party, get to know this scam to avoid being conned. (Read More)

When a finance worker in Hong Kong was called in to a live videoconference by the chief financial officer of his multinational company in February, everything seemed normal. The CFO and other executives acted and sounded as they always did, even if the reason for his being dragged in was unusual: He was instructed toContinue reading “AI Fuels New, Frighteningly Effective Scams “

Did you pay Benefytt, which also did business as “MyBenefitsKeeper,” for a health plan or product that didn’t deliver the comprehensive insurance coverage the company promised? You might be getting some of your money back. (Read More)

Experts warn mysterious texts from unknown numbers with seemingly innocuous messages could actually be a scam to infect your phone with malware and steal your personal information. (Lear More)

“Malicious tagging,” or provocative social media post scams, are becoming more common, according to experts, and are typically either sent through social media. (Find Out More)

The pleas pulled at heartstrings — donate now to help women struggling with breast cancer pay their rent or their utilities — and generous people responded. In truth, barely a penny of every dollar donated went to cancer patients. Today the FTC and ten state partners sued the so-called “charity” that lied to donors aboutContinue reading “Sham charity turns the Big C into a Big Con. Here’s what to know to avoid a cancer charity scam”

We expect banks and brokers to keep our money safe. We think they’ll stop or warn us about suspicious transfers out of our accounts. But do they? Scammers are exploiting that trust and getting people to transfer their money and drain their retirement accounts to “protect” or “safeguard” or “legalize” it. The truth? The moneyContinue reading “Will your bank or investment fund stop a transfer to a scammer? Probably not”

The first angry calls to the Pretty in Pink Boutique began last August, confusing staff at the Franklin, Tenn., provider of wigs, mastectomy bras and other accessories for cancer patients. Medicare recipients from around the country claimed that a company called Pretty in Pink had charged their health insurance companies thousands of dollars for urinaryContinue reading “U.S. investigates alleged Medicare fraud scheme estimated at $2 billion”