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Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals

ISBN: 978-1-118-10800-0
240 pages
January 2012
US $24.95 Add to Cart

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Business & Finance


November 17, 2011
Hoboken, NJ

6 Worst Holiday Cons and How to Avoid Them

"It's open season on shoppers," says Elliott, a consumer advocate and syndicated columnist. "Cons are waiting around every corner, especially in this soft economy. There's a scam out there with your name on it.” In his upcoming book "Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals," Christopher Elliott identifies two distinct kinds of scams:

1. "Lowercase" scams - obvious rip-offs, like giving money to a nonexistent charity.

2. "Uppercase" scams - perpetuated by real companies with a product.

They attempt to defraud by doing things like mislabeling a product as being "on sale" when, in fact, it's been marked up. Holiday shoppers are in greater danger of falling prey to a scam than at any other time in recent memory, says Elliott. But you don't have to become a victim. Just in time for the busy shopping season, he reveals the top six Christmas cons, plus tips on how to avoid them.

The three WORST lowercase Scams to look out for:

* Bogus Bell Ringers - While a vast majority of charities are legitimate, it may be worth making sure that bell ringer at the grocery store is on the up-and-up. Is he with the Salvation Army, which sponsors the Red Kettle Christmas Campaign? Just because some guy is dressed in a Santa suit doesn't make him real.

How to avoid it: Always give to a legit charity, and if you have doubts, don’t do it.

*The Gas Can Scam- This is a favorite confidence scam during the holidays because it's relatively easy to pull off in the parking lot of a busy mall. A scammer approaches you with a gas can and a tall tale about having run out of fuel. He's desperate to get home to his family. Could you "lend" him just a few dollars?

How to avoid it: Call mall security, which can help a real motorist in need – and send a scammer packing.

*Holiday Dot-Cons - Christmas is a time for online rip-offs.The level of fraud encountered by U.S. online retailers is estimated to be hundreds of millions of dollars each season. How to avoid these holiday horrors? Buy from someone you know and trust, and always, always pay with a credit card.

How to avoid it: Buy from someone you know and trust, and always, always pay with a credit card.

The three WORST Uppercase Scams to look out for:

*The Gift Card - Americans give $90 billion worth of gift cards every year, most of it during the holidays. But up to 7 percent of the cards go unredeemed. That's more than $6 billion of your money that companies know they will be able to keep. Might as well throw the cash on the old Yule Log. Gift cards are a legitimate scam that has probably cost hundreds of dollars for consumers.

How to avoid it: Buy real presents.

*The Fake Liquidation Sale - At a time when the economy is sluggish, and several businesses in the neighborhood may be liquidating - or saying they're liquidating -- be on the lookout. When a big business goes under, the final sale is handled by a liquidator whose job it is to get the most from the remaining merchandise. Prices can be significantly higher than if the store were in business. And yet marking up items and calling it a sale is perfectly legitimate.

How to avoid it: Be skeptical of anyone going “out of business” and do the math before you buy.

*The Christmas Toy Craze- Remember Cabbage Patch Kids? How about Tickle Me Elmo?  All of them are perfectly legal and may be a one-way ticket to scam-ville. In the 21st century, holiday fad toys "sell out" quickly and are only available at a steep markup from select stores or online. While totally legal, they are grossly overpriced and often lead to buyer's remorse.

How to avoid it: Difficult if you have kids who really want one, but worth a try.