Wednesday, December 15, 2021
The Naughty List
Posted By Babs De Lay on December 15, 2021, 4:00 AM
I never understood at Christmas time why "bad kids" got coal in their stockings. Back in the day, coal was the number one fuel to keep homes warm, and impoverished people still follow coal trains/trucks to pick up fuel that's fallen off the vehicles—again, to heat their homes and in some cases to cook with. In addition, there's the mythical Santa deciding each year who's naughty and who's nice.
Well, whatever list you might end up on this year, the Better Business Bureau has just come up with a really naughty list that you should take heed of and share with friends and family. They call it the 12 Scams of Christmas:
• Misleading social media ads offering free trials and then charging a monthly fee you never signed up for.
• Social media gift exchanges— especially ones asking you to "pay it forward" or be a "Secret Santa"—which can expose personal information to bad actors.
• Holiday apps where you can chat live with Santa or relay your holiday wish lists. Free apps can contain malware or get you endless advertising on your phone.
• Alerts that your Amazon, Paypal, Netflix or bank account have been compromised.
• Free gift cards from supposedly legitimate companies.
• Temp holiday jobs that are simple employment swindles aimed at stealing money and personal info from applicants.
• Look-alike websites out to rob you blind.
• Fake Charities (verify a charity at www.give.org).
• Fake shipping notices to trick you into paying new fees.
• Pop up holiday virtual events (markets, craft fairs) that are marketed as free, but scammers figure out how to charge admission and get your credit card info.
• Top holiday wish list items of ridiculously priced luxury goods and electronics that end up being cheap counterfeits and knockoffs.
• Puppy scams. Always request to see the pet in person before forking over big bucks for a puppy.
Another big scam that still takes its toll is when a--holes pose as a trusted friend or family member by email or phone asking for money because they had been robbed, stuck in a foreign country, or lost their wallet. Or worse, when you get a call from a supposed IRS employee or a local constable saying something to the effect that "if you don't pay immediately, we are sending a police officer to your home to arrest you for failure to pay." Note: The IRS does not call to collect fees. Nor do local police, sheriffs or constables contact people to collect money.
I know someone who was swindled out of $1,200 this year because they believed a rep from Amazon had told them their account had been hacked. And the oldest scams of record are Ponzi schemes, where supposed "investors" get you to hand over your money with the promise that you will quickly make 50% to 100% returns. Utah is famous for these kinds of rip-offs, so please be careful when approached by people who want you to part with your hard-earned bucks.
About The Author
Babs De Lay
A full-time broker/owner of Urban Utah Homes and Estates, Babs De Lay serves on the Salt Lake City Historic Landmark Commission. A writer and golfer, you'll find them working as a staff guardian at the Temple at Burning Man each year.
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