Hutchinson: Think carefully before cosigning a loan
Cosigning for a child with no credit record to buy a first car may be a good decision; cosigning a credit card for a delinquent brother-in-law not so much.
Topic: Better Business Bureau Of The Mid-South
RSSThere are 49 article(s) tagged Better Business Bureau Of The Mid-South:
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May 2023
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April 2023
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Hutchinson: FBI warns about growing cryptocurrency scam
“Pig butchering” alludes to the practice of fattening up a hog before slaughter. The investment scam originated in Southeast Asia and spread worldwide during the pandemic.
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February 2023
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Hutchinson: Made in the USA isn’t always true
If it’s important to you that a product is truly made in the United States, research the reputation of the manufacturer or marketer making the claim, including with the BBB, to be sure they’re trustworthy.
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January 2023
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Hutchinson: Vet charitable crowdfunding requests
“It’s best to give to a campaign organized by someone you know. If you don’t know the organizer, check out the story as best you can and gauge the amount of your donation against the risk it may not be true.”
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December 2022
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Hutchinson: Buy contact lenses from sellers who verify prescriptions
The FTC’s Contact Lens Rule requires prescribers to provide copies of prescriptions automatically — that is, the patient shouldn’t have to ask for it — and at no extra charge.
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October 2022
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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.
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August 2022
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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 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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Guest 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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April 2022
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Guest 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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November 2021
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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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September 2021
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Opinion: 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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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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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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Opinion: 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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Opinion: 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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Opinion: 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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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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February 2021
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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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October 2020
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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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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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July 2020
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Cryptocurrency scams are on the rise
Consumers who were exposed to a cryptocurrency scam were far more likely to fall for it and lost far more money than the average for all scams. The median loss in a cryptocurrency scam was $3,000 compared to $160 for all scams.
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May 2020
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Kids more vulnerable online during pandemic
The FBI issued an alert warning that with schools closed and other activities curtailed, children spending more time at home and online are at greater risk.
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April 2020
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Seniors more vulnerable to scams during pandemic
In today’s coronavirus crisis, crooks impersonating the government promise seniors government grants and stimulus payments in exchange for an upfront fee or confidential information they’ll use to commit identity theft.
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March 2020
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BBB: Here come the coronavirus scams
In its first coronavirus-related fraud case, the Department of Justice shut down the website “coronavirusmedicalkit.com” that offered consumers a World Health Organization vaccine kit. There are currently no legitimate vaccines.
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