Hutchinson: Buyer beware when shopping for cars online
If you’re buying it from an online-only dealer, be sure you understand the return and refund policy and that the dealer’s reputation indicates it will stand behind the policy.
Randy Hutchinson
Columnist
Randy Hutchinson is the President and CEO of the BBB of the Mid-South, serving 28 counties in Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas. He graduated from Western Maryland College and has an MBA from Wilmington College. He can be reached at rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org
There are 80 articles by Randy Hutchinson :
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October 2022
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Guest Columnists
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September 2022
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Guest Columnists Guest column: Buying now and paying later isn’t risk-free
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has opened an inquiry into Buy Now, Pay Later loans to determine if they require additional regulation.
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August 2022
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Business Guest Column: Use caution before buying prescription drugs online
The FDA says you may be putting your personal and financial information at risk when you deal with unsafe online pharmacies.
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July 2022
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Guest ColumnistsGuest column: Scams on the rise, with social media a heavy contributor
More than one in four people who reported to the Federal Trade Commission that they lost money in a scam in 2021 say it originated on social media, an 18-fold increase over 2017.
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May 2022
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OpinionGuest column: Use peer-to-peer mobile payment apps wisely
While the apps are a legitimate payment method, using them involves some risks that are greater than paying with a credit card.
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Guest ColumnistsGuest Column: Regulators crack down on fake reviews
A recent survey found that 77% of consumers “always” or “regularly” read reviews from other consumers. That was up from 60% in the prior survey.
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April 2022
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Guest ColumnistsGuest column: Amazon impersonation scams run rampant
From July 2020 to June 2021, 96,000 people reported an Amazon scam to the FTC. Only a small percentage of people report scams, so the actual numbers are much higher.
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March 2022
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BusinessGuest column: FTC cracks down on abusive debt-collection tactics
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act governs collection agencies and other third-party collectors.
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February 2022
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Opinion Guest Column: How to check out a contractor before hiring one
“Be cautious dealing with someone who knocks on your door offering to help repair damage after a storm, including removing trees or limbs.”
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January 2022
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Guest Columnists Guest Column: FTC cracks down on CBD claims
In an initiative called Operation CBDeceit, the FTC reached settlements with seven more companies it alleged were making unsubstantiated claims about their CBD products.
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December 2021
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Guest Columnists Guest column: Regulators shut down crooked charitable fundraisers
The fundraising companies kept as much as 90 cents of every dollar raised and, according to the FTC, very little of the money they actually delivered to the charities was used for the purposes they claimed.
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November 2021
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Financial Services BBB: Reverse mortgages need thorough scrutiny
Opinion: Even Tom Selleck would agree it’s important to carefully consider all the pros and cons of a reverse mortgage.
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October 2021
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Guest Columnists Opinion: Extended auto warranties aren’t all the same
‘I can’t say that every offer to buy an extended auto warranty that comes via a robocall is deceptive, but separating out the good ones would be a challenge. Postcard or letter solicitations are almost as problematic.’
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September 2021
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Guest ColumnistsOpinion: Do your research when buying home security system
More than 6,900 people filed a complaint about home security companies in 2020, ranking them No. 32 among the thousands of types of businesses receiving complaints.
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August 2021
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Guest Columnists Opinion: Do your homework when considering multilevel marketing
Even if an MLM opportunity is legitimate, AARP and the FTC say most participants still make little or no money.
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July 2021
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Financial Services Opinion: Businesses should beware of predatory lenders
Some companies may have a short-term cash flow crunch that makes them vulnerable to deceptive lending practices.
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Guest ColumnistsOpinion: Weekly credit reports are free
You want to be sure that your credit information is accurate and current before you apply for a loan, buy insurance, apply for a job, or try to rent an apartment or other housing.
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June 2021
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Guest ColumnistsOpinion: Do your due diligence before buying overseas real estate
The FTC and BBB recommend discussing with experts plans to invest in any real estate development outside the U.S.
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May 2021
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BusinessOpinion: Scam calls and texts on the rise
RoboKiller predicts that scammers will design even smarter, more believable phone scams in the future. Spam calls could reach 70 billion and texts 90 billion by the end of 2021.
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April 2021
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Guest Columnists Opinion: The Nigerian prince scam has grown more sophisticated
Nigerian letter scams now reap only $700,000 annually, but the same crooks get billions of dollars from more sophisticated scams: ‘That Nigerian prince has grown up, has gone to college, and has found a new, lucrative career,’ says an expert.
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March 2021
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Opinion Opinion: Taking dietary supplements can be harmful
The FDA has found hundreds of dietary supplements containing ingredients that weren’t listed on the label.
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February 2021
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Business Opinion: Beware of ever-evolving COVID scams
The variety of COVID-19 scams we’ve seen since the beginning of the pandemic are overwhelming.
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January 2021
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Guest Columnists Opinion: How to choose a tax preparer
You’re entrusting a tax preparer with sensitive information, so it’s important to do your due diligence in choosing one.
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October 2020
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Business Data breaches in 2020: up or down?
Some of the biggest breaches include one at Marriott that affected over 5 million customers and one at Nintendo that compromised 300,000 user accounts. At least five state unemployment databases have been hacked.
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August 2020
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Business BBB: Don’t fall for a mortgage relief scam
According to Black Knight, a mortgage technology and data provider, mortgage delinquencies almost doubled in April. That’s fodder for mortgage relief scammers.
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