Think twice before clicking on lurid celebrity sites
Crooks exploit our fascination with celebrities by luring us to websites that may claim to have the latest gossip about a celebrity but that also contain malware.
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 92 articles by Randy Hutchinson :
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October 2019
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Business
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August 2019
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Business Vet a crowdfunding campaign before contributing
Crowdfunding platforms have rules for what kinds of projects can be posted on their website and vet them to some degree, but they don’t guarantee success. As with any new product, there are risks that include delays in completing a project or failure to bring a product to market at all.
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July 2019
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Business Ransomware can cripple organizations of all sizes
In 2017, the largest simultaneous ransomware attack ever affected tens of thousands of organizations in 74 countries, including FedEx’ Memphis operations. Collierville's town computer system was the target of a ransomware attack in July.
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Business Use caution with timeshare relief companies
People desperate to unload their timeshares are vulnerable to timeshare relief firms that offer to sell their property for an upfront fee. The firm collects the fee but never delivers the service.
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June 2019
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Business BBB: Get a home inspection
Be present during the inspection, which can take two to five hours. Most home inspectors will be fine with you tagging along and asking questions. You’ll end up with a much better appreciation for the condition of the property, good or bad.
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May 2019
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Business FTC shuts down sham veteran and police charities
The Disabled Police and Sheriffs Foundation received $10 million in donations over three years, but spent less than 6% of it to help officers and their families. A judgment of $9.9 million was imposed, but only $100,000 could be recovered. The American Veterans Foundation took in $3.5 million over three years but spent just $47,246 on care packages for service members.
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April 2019
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Business Pick a trustworthy mover
Last year, the Department of Justice charged 12 people with running a nationwide racketeering enterprise through 14 affiliated moving companies.
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Business FTC lands on company paying for fake positive reviews
Some companies charged with false advertising by the Federal Trade Commission were accused of writing fake five-star reviews themselves.
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February 2019
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Business Consumers and businesses may have unclaimed property
States hold billions of dollars in unclaimed property for both businesses and consumers. The Better Business Bureau has tips on how to locate and recover funds without falling victim to scams.
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January 2019
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Business FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule may help with buyer’s remorse
The Better Business Bureau often receives complaints that make it clear the consumers didn’t realize they had the right to change their mind about a transaction. The merchant involved may have been blissfully, or willfully, ignorant of its obligation to inform the consumers of their rights and to provide the required form.
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December 2018
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Business MoneyGram charged (again) with facilitating fraud
An old adage says “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” The Federal Trade Commission didn’t take kindly to being fooled twice by MoneyGram International and imposed a $125 million fine on the company, which operates a network of about 350,000 money transfer locations worldwide. The Department of Justice said MoneyGram also violated a similar agreement it reached with the company in 2012. -
Business Hutchinson: ‘All natural’ means all natural
Even if you’re not a chemist, you’ll probably surmise that butyloctyl salicylate and polyquaternium-37 are not naturally occurring substances. Yet they and other synthetic ingredients with similarly difficult-to-pronounce names were contained in products marketed as “all natural” or “100 percent natural.”
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November 2018
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Business Orders should be shipped as advertised
A common complaint to the BBB, particularly around the holiday season, involves merchandise that isn’t shipped when promised.
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October 2018
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Guest column: Regulators worry about the online ticket market
The FTC is soliciting public comments regarding unfair practices in the online marketplace for event tickets in preparation for a public workshop to be held on the topic March 27, 2019. -
Business Guest column: Email scam costs businesses billions of dollars
Most businesses would be ecstatic if their revenue increased more than 100 percent in less than two years. Scammers are business people too, scams are their products, and the FBI reports that their revenue from one scam increased 136 percent between December 2016 and May 2018. -
Business Guest column: Be prepared to live up to ‘satisfaction guaranteed’
According to the FTC, businesses that proclaim “satisfaction guaranteed” or “money-back guarantee” must be willing to give full refunds for any reason. Any limitations on the guarantee must be clearly stated. The BBB’s Code of Advertising contains similar guidance.
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September 2018
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Business Guest Column: BBB, government team up to combat business scams
In June, the FTC, other law enforcement agencies and the BBB announced the results of Operation Main Street: Stopping Small Business Scams, a law enforcement and education initiative targeting scammers who victimize businesses. The other agencies include the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, two U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and eight state attorneys general.
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