Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News | Daily Memphian | Randy Hutchinson

Opinion: Beware of deceptive business opportunities

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 20:44:33 -0500

“Consumers have been scammed out of tens of millions of dollars in recent get-rich-quick schemes.”

Opinion: Do research before hiring a contractor

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sun, 8 Feb 2026 04:00:12 -0600

“Checking out a company anywhere in the country on bbb.org is quick, easy and free.”

Opinion: Beware of fake addiction treatment clinics

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 04:00:00 -0600

The FTC complaint says the defendants took in millions of dollars impersonating other clinics. It alleges that as a result of these deceptive tactics, many consumers were deterred from seeking admission at the clinics they were actually trying to contact.

Opinion: FTC busts another get-rich-quick scheme

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 04:00:07 -0600

Click Profit advertised that its business opportunity was “safe, secure, and proven to generate wealth” that would outperform traditional investments.

Opinion: Vehicle and equipment seller scams on the rise

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sun, 5 Oct 2025 04:00:11 -0500

The red flags of a vehicle and equipment seller scam include the price being significantly below market value, the owner citing an overly personal reason for getting rid of the vehicle, and not being able to see the vehicle before sending money.

Opinion: Be aware of this law if you wear eyeglasses

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sun, 17 Aug 2025 04:00:02 -0500

The Ophthalmic Practice Rules were created to let consumers comparison-shop by insisting prescribers put prescriptions in patients’ hands before they buy corrective eyewear.

Opinion: Cannabis edibles are not safe for everyone

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Tue, 8 Jul 2025 17:51:47 -0500

“Poisoning from edible cannabis products doesn’t typically result in serious problems for adults, but can cause more severe reactions requiring medical attention in children.”

Opinion: Beware of Bitcoin ATM scams

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 08:32:25 -0500

“The Federal Trade Commission says consumers reported losing $110 million to Bitcoin ATM fraud in 2023, a tenfold increase over 2020.”

Hutchinson: Some scammers are victims themselves

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sat, 17 May 2025 04:00:05 -0500

Reports from the Council on Foreign Relations and the United States Institute of Peace say some overseas call centers are staffed by people who have been trafficked or lured in by fake job ads.

Hutchinson: Beware of fake reviews

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sun, 27 Apr 2025 04:00:06 -0500

“About 30% of online reviews are fake and cost U.S. businesses nearly $152 billion per year in damaged reputations and lost revenue.”

Hutchinson: When replacing your roof, do your research

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sun, 9 Mar 2025 04:00:10 -0500

Consumers pull more Better Business Bureau reports on roofers than other kinds of businesses. Some who don’t later wish they had.

Hutchinson: 'Sextortion' scams are on the rise

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 04:00:14 -0600

Anyone can be a victim of this crime, but teenagers are the most vulnerable. And the results can be deadly.

Hutchinson: Beware of these lending scams

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sun, 17 Nov 2024 04:00:06 -0600

A Florida woman claimed to have more than 10 years of experience in grant writing. In reality, her last known employment was at a Krystal, and she was on probation for stealing cash deposits from it.

Hutchinson: Businesses beware of government-impersonation scams

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sun, 27 Oct 2024 04:00:08 -0500

The Better Business Bureau warns businesses and nonprofits to be wary of emails with anything other than .gov in the address.

Hutchinson: Be wary of false claims by for-profit schools

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Thu, 3 Oct 2024 17:46:27 -0500

Before enrolling in a for-profit school, make sure it is legitimate.

Hutchinson: Privacy policies are important to understand

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 19:50:41 -0500

A recent study found 81% of the public say the potential risks they face because of data collection by companies outweigh the benefits.

Hutchinson: Cannabis edibles and kids don't mix

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 04:00:03 -0500

Experts agree that the best advice is to not consume cannabis edibles in front of children, which can make them seem OK, and to not have them in the home.

Hutchinson: Don't trust your data won't be misused online

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sat, 15 Jun 2024 04:00:12 -0500

Personal information collected in an app could be misused despite data broker’s promises and privacy policies, so businesses must be sure the benefit of using it is worth the risk.

Hutchinson: Beware of cash advance apps

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Sat, 18 May 2024 04:00:13 -0500

Personal finance apps like Brigit may be new, but established consumer protection principles apply.

Hutchinson: Poor password practices make hackers’ lives easier

rhutchinson@bbbmidsouth.org (Randy Hutchinson) — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 04:00:03 -0500

Study after study show that 123456 is one of the most common passwords. Others in the top 10 include 12345678, qwerty (the first five letters on a keyboard), ********, 1q2w3e (check your keyboard to see why) and the word “password” itself.