Author Archives: virginiasmp

As recovery efforts continue in areas hit hard by mother nature’s recent bi-coastal punch, scammers are not far behind. They see tragedy as opportunity, and they’ll use the devastation caused by severe storms — like Typhoon Merbok, Hurricane Fiona, and Hurricane Ian, now headed for shore — to try to take advantage of those affected. As well as of anyone whoContinue reading “Avoid Scams in the Aftermath of Merbok, Fiona and Ian”

People often find that the cost of high-demand items skyrockets during times of emergencies such as ice storms, a severe cold snap, power outages, hurricanes, floods or other types of disasters. Better Business Bureau often receives reports about the frequency of scams involving sought-after items, such as face mask scams during the coronavirus pandemic, or high prices on gas,Continue reading “False Advertising, Price Gouging is Unfair, Illegal”

With the recent announcement of the one-time federal student loan debt relief plan, we knew scammers were on their way. Well, they’re here. The application for debt relief is rolling out any day now, so focus on getting information directly from the Department of Education. (Read More)

Hurricanes Ian and Fiona are just the latest of many devastating natural disasters that have pummeled areas of the U.S. in recent years. Those events are scary enough on their own, but survivors of such weather emergencies face yet another threat after the storms and flooding recede: becoming the target of a scam. (Read More)

When’s the last time you checked out online reviews to decide whether to buy something? Or where to buy it? Many of us use reviews to see the honest opinions of other buyers — but how do we know the reviews really are honest? Or from real buyers? Read on for ideas about handling fakeContinue reading “Should We Trust Online Reviews?”

Scams affect everyone. And we mean everyone — your family, friends, and neighbors. Don’t believe us? Look at the data. Find consumer protection data from the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network over at ftc.gov/exploredata. There, you can learn more about what the millions of reports across the United States tell us about topics like identity theft, unwantedContinue reading “Find Out What Scams are Happening in Your Area”

Thursday, October 13, 8:30am-1pm. Learn about current scams, financial trends, self defense and health info!

Just as any legitimate enterprise today requires tech expertise to keep computers and networks running, so do fraud enterprises. The difference, if you believe the movies, is that the person in charge of tech at a criminal operation would be a young, slightly crazy computer genius, able to type 200 words a minute and penetrateContinue reading “How to Stop Cybercriminals in Their Tracks”

It’s never a good time to have your utilities shut off. But during the hot summer months, the threat of having no power can be especially miserable: no AC, no refrigerator, not even a fan. Scammers know this and will try to trick you into sending them money to keep your electricity on. But there are waysContinue reading “Only Scammers Demand Utility Payments in Cryptocurrency”

Planning ahead for yourself or a loved one is a big job. Living in a nursing home is expensive and Medicare or Medicaid usually only covers a portion of the costs involved. To offset the costs, you may consider purchasing long-term care insurance. Here’s what to consider before taking out a policy. (Read More)