By Teresa Konopka
SAN DIEGO — Here are some common scams and tips to stay safe.
1. Non-Refundable Nonsense — In today’s digital age, many people assume that they can get their money back when fraud occurs. Before making any assumptions, call up all your financial institutions and learn the nature of when you can and can not get your money back. While not always the case, a general rule of thumb is that most fraudulent credit card transactions can be voided while bank wires / transfers can almost never be reversed.
2. Police will Help — Many people assume that if they are scammed the cops will help them get their money back quickly. Sadly, with the sheer volume of crime occurring, police stations focus their energies on combatting violent crime. A threat to life will always take precedent over theft and fraud.
3. Everything is Traceable — Many people assume it is harder to get away with scamming than it actually is. It is common practice for scammers to use fake identities. Since banks and cellular companies are legally obligated to keep customer information confidential, it is near impossible to track down a scammer’s true identity. To even have a chance at finding your scammer, you will either need to work with a private investigator or press criminal charges with a warrant, both of which can take months. Matters are complicated further when scammers live overseas in foreign countries.
4. The Bank Call — If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be your bank, the IRS, etc, hang up immediately. Next, go to your physical bank in person or call the phone number printed on your official financial statements. Go to the source to find out if your accounts have any issues or if you are being scammed. The same goes for emails that look like they are official. Don’t click any links!
5. Mystery Shop Mayhem — Legitimate mystery shopping companies will not recruit via direct email / phone. They also will not require you to pay any “application fee.” Also, beware of mystery shopping companies promising high payments. Mystery shopping is more of a hobby and rarely pays much beyond the cost of gas and/or reimbursement for assigned purchases.
6. Rental Home Scam — Finding an apartment is already stressful enough as it is. If a unit appears too good to be true, it probably is. Never under any circumstances send money to someone you’ve never met face-to-face, especially to secure a property you have not viewed in person. Beware of people promising to send you keys after you send payment. Your money will be gone and your keys will never arrive.
7. Dream Home Scam — A variation of the rental home scam, this is more sophisticated and slick. Victims may actually tour the home in person and/or get access to the home. However, shortly after moving in, victims are evicted by the true landlord who never authorized them to live there. Verify property ownership and make sure to get legal documents notarized. Use a licensed real estate agent and call the county assessor’s office.
8. One Drink Won’t Hurt — When out with friends or a date, never under any circumstances leave your drink unattended. Colorless / tasteless date rape drugs can dissolve into drinks in seconds. Victims do not know they’ve been drugged until it is too late. For extra precaution, bring your own water bottle with a sealed top and take it with you even when going to the restroom. Also, this should go without saying, but never go to a date’s home alone where there are no witnesses!
9. Long Distance Lover — If looking for love online, try to meet in person at a public location as soon as possible. While some have found their spouse online, the sad reality is that some have fake profiles, are already married, or have zero intention of ever traveling to meet you. Never send money to people you meet online, no matter how believable their “sob story” is. Please also have a realistic view of yourself and the other person. If your beau is *significantly* younger, better looking, or more successful than you, they may not actually be “in love”.
10. The Bait and Switch — While not so much dangerous as it is a waste of time, many people looking for love online post old photos. If you want to know 100% what someone looks like before investing in an in-person meeting, you can requests a video chat or for them to send you a photo of them holding a current calendar / newspaper. This issue is especially difficult for men since women can greatly mask their appearance with face-alerting makeup, figure-alerting undergarments, fake lashes, and even wigs. Buyer beware!
11. The Online Marketplace — When considering a purchase online, pay attention to how long the product has been on the market and read through the reviews. It is not uncommon for bots or “hired help” to copy/paste fake reviews in an effort to raise the overall rating of a product. If you are looking at shoes but the reviews talk about shampoo, know it’s a scam! While it may cost more, online purchases directly from consumer retail websites that have robust return policies is the safer bet. So, for example, instead of buying a dress from a random advertisement online, order a dress online from Macy’s.
12. The Social Media Trap — It is beyond easy to fake a profile. To avoid your identity from being stolen, here are some things you can do when using social media. Avoid using your real name (use a nickname or middle name instead of your last name), remove all personal information (hometown, school, birthday, etc), and keep photos of yourself to a minimum (the more photos you have to copy, the easier it is to impersonate you). Instead of messaging with someone you think is your friend, get their phone number so you can verify their voice (the person you think is your friend may be someone else!). As tempting as it may be, do not put your whole life story on the internet.
13. The Dead-end Diploma –Perhaps the saddest scam of them all, countless youth go thousands of dollars into debt to finance educations that they are convinced will land them six figure salary jobs. Do your research before getting a loan. Use the US Department of Labor and Statistics to determine both what job growth is expected for your field and what the median salary is. Also note that median salary is not the same as starting salary (i.e.- it may take years to get to that published salary). Calculate your return on investment and don’t dig yourself into a financial hole that will take decades to climb out of.
14. The Body Acceptance Movement — In an effort to reduce depression and boost self esteem, the body acceptance movement has gained widespread popularity. So much so that a 2021 ladies’ magazine Cosmopolitan plastered overtly obese women on the cover with the title “this is healthy. ”Worth and value as a human being come from innate traits. That being said, being overweight and obese is linked to medical issues, especially as one ages. Let’s not fool ourselves or others into unhealthy lifestyles simply to avoid being insensitive.
Scams are by no means new and people have been deceived as far back as ~1300 BCE. Moses’ successor Joshua relates this story in Joshua chapter 9.
When the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to deception to save themselves. They sent ambassadors to Joshua, loading their donkeys with weathered saddlebags and old, patched wineskins. They put on worn-out, patched sandals and ragged clothes. And the bread they took with them was dry and moldy. When they arrived at the camp of Israel at Gilgal, they told Joshua and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land to ask you to make a peace treaty with us.”
The Israelites replied to these Hivites, “How do we know you don’t live nearby? For if you do, we cannot make a treaty with you.”
They answered, “Your servants have come from a very distant country. We have heard of the might of the LORD your G-d and of all he did in Egypt. We have also heard what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River—King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan (who lived in Ashtaroth). So our elders and all our people instructed us, ‘Take supplies for a long journey. Go meet with the people of Israel and tell them, “We are your servants; please make a treaty with us.”’
“This bread was hot from the ovens when we left our homes. But now, as you can see, it is dry and moldy. These wineskins were new when we filled them, but now they are old and split open. And our clothing and sandals are worn out from our very long journey.”
So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the LORD. Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed their safety, and the leaders of the community ratified their agreement with a binding oath.
Three days after making the treaty, they learned that these people actually lived nearby! The Israelites set out at once to investigate and reached their towns in three days. The names of these towns were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. But the Israelites did not attack the towns, for the Israelite leaders had made a vow to them in the name of the LORD, the G-d of Israel.
The people of Israel grumbled against their leaders because of the treaty. But the leaders replied, “Since we have sworn an oath in the presence of the LORD, the G-d of Israel, we cannot touch them. This is what we must do. We must let them live, for divine anger would come upon us if we broke our oath. Let them live.” So they made them woodcutters and water carriers for the entire community, as the Israelite leaders directed.
*
Teresa Konopka is a freelance writer based in San Diego.