Better Business Bureau Reports Uptick in Subscription Scams

‘Tis the season for summer subscription scams. The Better Business Bureau of Central Illinois is getting daily calls from individuals and businesses who are being targeted by subscription scammers, reports Central Illinois Proud. Among the subscription companies being impersonated are QuickBooks and Norton Anti-Lock. Victims typically receive bogus emails, with the scammers telling their victims that it is time for renewal, hoping they will pay up.

“Online retailers are always a top scam that we see here at BBB, so checking out a company before you do business with them can save you so much headache,” says Jessica Tharp, president and CEO of the Central Illinois branch of BBB.

Tharp’s advice is not to click on subscription renewal links or call the phone numbers listed in the emails. Instead, those who actually subscribe to those services can go directly to their online QuickBooks or Norton Anti-Lock accounts to verify

Read more
Tips on keeping minors safe from social media scams

Those quizzes and surveys that pop up on your social media feed seem fun and harmless, but they can cost you personal information and even money.

BEAUMONT, Texas — The Better Business Bureau in Southeast Texas is sending a warning out to parents on how to protect children and teens from identity theft.

Those quizzes and surveys that pop up on your social media feed seem fun and harmless, but they can cost you personal information and even money.

The advice that the BBB is giving on the issue is to always think twice before giving out any personal information and talking to kids about what could happen if their information is stolen.

The BBB says that one important way in keeping children safe is being aware what social media platforms they frequent.

President and CEO of the BBB in Southeast Texas Liz Fredrichs says keeping tabs on the amount

Read more
Social media quizzes may be data collection scams

Better Business Bureau warns that social media quizzes may be data collection scams



SHARING INFORMATION, 8 ON YOUR SIDE CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR BRIAN ROCHE SAYS BE CAREFUL. BRIAN A QUIZ THAT PROVES HOW : WELL YOU KNOW YOUR FRIEND. A PERSONALITY TEST THAT OFFERS MTOATCH YOU WITH A CHARACTER FROM YOUR FAVORITE T.V. SHOW. THESE QUIZZES APPEAR TO BE HARMLESS, BUT THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU HAS ISSUED A WARNING ABO WUTHAT IS CALLED DATA MINING. NOW, THE BBB SAYS NOT ALL SOCIAL MEDIA QUIZZES ARE DATA COLLECTION SCAMS. HOWEVER YOU SHOULD BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT YOU SHARE OINNLE. THE ANSWERS CAN BE USED TO STEAL YOUR IDENTITY OR ENABLAE SCAMMER TO IMPERSONATE YOU TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. SO WHAT CAN YOU DO? BEFORE ANSWERING A QUIZ, FIGURE OUT WHO CREATED IT, IS IT A BRAND YOU TRUST? ADJUST YOUR

Read more
Better Business Bureau Serving Central East Texas Names Top Ten Scams of 2021 | News

The Better Business Bureau serving Central East Texas announces East Texas’ Top Ten Scams of 2021. The Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Sentinel Network took in approximately 4.7 million reports in 2020 with consumer losses estimated at over $3.3 billion. The 2022 report will be published in the spring of 2021.

“Scam artists are not going anywhere. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, we’ve seen them become more aggressive,” said Mechele Agbayani Mills, President and CEO of BBB Serving Central East Texas. “Whether it’s online or over the phone, we must remain vigilant when it comes to protecting personal and financial information.”

The following list includes East Texas’ most reported scams and suspicious activities of 2021 via BBB Scam Tracker:

• Online purchase scams. It may seem as if some of the best deals many be found online, but use caution. It’s easy for a scammer to hijack photos from a legitimate retailer

Read more
Buyer beware! Here are some of the top scams to look out for in 2022

The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about some of the top scams to watch out for in 2022.

Heather Sommers loves her puppy, Cannoli. The problem is that she only got him after losing $900 on another dog that didn’t exist.

“I was shaking when it was happening. It’s heartbreaking,” Sommers says.

Sommers picked out a puppy from a website run by a so-called dog breeder. She realized that something was wrong when the breeder kept demanding more money, supposedly for a special air-conditioned crate. When Sommers called police, she learned that both the breeder and the dog were fake.

“We did what I thought were all the right things. We asked for proof of puppy. We were sent additional photos,” Sommers says.

Melissa Companick, of the Better Business Bureau, says that the puppy scam is one of

Read more