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A Podcast by BBB of the Tri-Counties

A BIG Thank you to Ayers Auto Repairs in Santa Barbara for making Scam Squad possible!

Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust!

After more than three years of relief, the payment pause on student loans is coming to an end. The U.S. Department of Education recently announced that student loan interest will resume September 1, 2023, and payments will be due starting in October. This student loan news affects millions of Americans, which creates an excellent opportunity for scammers. In fact, BBB has already received multiple reports of scams related to student loan repayment citing “new 2023 guidelines.” Get to know the signs of a scam and always be sure to do your research before sharing any personal information.

How the scam works:

 You receive an email, letter, or phone call from someone claiming you are eligible for “student loan consolidation,” “payment reduction program,” or a similar service. This new benefit is allegedly part of “the new 2023 guidelines,” and the scammer may even claim to represent the Federal Student Aid (FSA) department. If you respond, the scammer will ask you for personal information to “confirm your identity” or to “check your eligibility.” This information might include your Social Security number, name and address, and even your FSA.gov login information. One student loan holder reported the following experience: “I received an email stating that the Student Loan Department has been trying to contact me to tell me all of my student loans are eligible for forgiveness under the new 2023 guidelines. They wanted me to call the number between 11-7pm in Albuquerque, New Mexico and give them information in order to process forgiveness.” At this point the loan holder reached out their student loan company and learned that the email was scam. After “verifying your identity” the scammer will offer you an enticing plan to reduce your loan repayment. If you agree, you may end up making payments a third-party in vain for months or even years. None of your payments will go towards your student loan. And even if you don’t make a payment, sharing personal information puts you at risk for identity theft.

Tips to avoid student loan forgiveness scams

● Get to know the terms of your student loan and the relief program before acting. Always do your research before sharing personal information. Be sure to understand the ins and outs of your specific loan and how student loan terms impact you. You may have to research who your current loan servicer is since it may have changed. Reach out to them to explore all your repayment options and make sure your contact information is up to date. For information, go straight to official government websites, such as ED.gov and studentaid.gov.

● Never pay money for a free government program. Scammers often trick victims into paying for free government programs – or they claim you can get additional benefits, faster benefits, etc., for a fee. A real government agency will not ask for an advanced processing fee. These are all red flags of a scam.

● Be wary of out-of-the-blue calls, emails, or text messages claiming to be from the government. Generally, the government will not contact you using these methods unless you grant permission.

● Watch out for phony government agencies or programs. If you speak to someone claiming to be a government representative offering you student loan relief, research before you agree to anything. Scammers often make up look-alike government websites that sound similar to legitimate agencies or programs.

● Think something seems suspicious? Reach out to the agency directly. If you have any concerns about an alleged government representative's legitimacy, hang up the phone or stop emailing/texting. Then, find the official contact information (look on ED.gov and studentaid.gov or other official sites) and call to verify. Then, report suspicious calls or messages.

● Be careful, even if the information comes from a friend. Even if a close friend or family member you trust sent you the information regarding student loan relief, make sure the claims are real first. During the COVID-19 pandemic, BBB received many reports of hacked social media accounts being used to spread government impostor scams. For more information Read more on BBB.org about scams targeting recent college graduates and government impostors. Get further insight by reading BBB’s tips on loans and credit repair services. If you’ve spotted a student loan forgiveness scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your report can help others avoid falling victim to scams.

Until next time!

This Podcast is brought to you by BBB of the Tri-Counties

A BIG thank you to Ayers Automotive Repairs in Santa Barbara for supporting this podcast. https://www.bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-of-the-tri-counties

Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! Between booking flights, hotels, a rental car, and things to do, planning a vacation can get stressful. It’s one reason many travelers turn to vacation packages, which bundle multiple aspects of your trip. Vacation packages are simpler to purchase and can save you money too. To get the best deal and to avoid unpleasant surprises, BBB recommends the following tips when booking a vacation package.

● Count the cost. The best way to know if you’re getting a good deal on a vacation package is to check the price for booking each part of the vacation separately. If a vacation package costs more than purchasing hotels, flights, rental cars, etc., separately, you might want to make your bookings instead.

● Be flexible to get the best deal. Getting a better value for your vacation package is easier if you can be flexible with your dates. This is also true if you’re flexible with your destination. Is your heart set on Cancun, but it’s outside your budget? Why not consider a travel package that takes you to a lesser-known beach in Mexico? The same goes for airport choices. Being open to departing from any nearby airport might save you hundreds of dollars.

● Know that you can extend travel dates (usually). If you’re offered a package with pre-established dates, know that most packages allow you to extend your trip or modify the dates as you see fit. You’ll pay more for different dates, but it can be done. However, if you can’t extend your trip for the package you’re interested in, you can always find your way home. Taking advantage of the travel package and adding your travel plans to the end of your trip is still an option.

● Book early or last minute. You can also get a good deal by booking your trip early or scoring a last-minute deal. If last-minute travel plans sound stressful, consider blocking off the time earlier in the year and hunting up your travel package the week before.

● Read the fine print. Always read and re-read the fine print when booking a vacation package to ensure you know exactly what is included and what isn’t. Airfare and your hotel might be included in the price, but what about land transfers, tips, activities, amenities, and food? The last thing you want is to assume your package is all-inclusive, only to discover you’ll need to pay for more than you expected after arriving at your destination.

● Check the refund and cancelation policies. Get to know how cancelations and refunds are handled if your trip is interrupted by illness, bad weather, or other unforeseen events. You’ll find this information in the fine print as well.

● Think about loyalty points and travel rewards. If you travel regularly, you might want to earn points through a loyalty program you use or redeem travel rewards for your next trip. This isn’t always possible when booking vacation packages. However, it might be if you book a vacation package through the company you get rewards from. For example, if you have plenty of sky miles saved up through your favorite airline’s loyalty program, try booking a vacation package through them.

● Watch out for scams. As always, you’ll need to watch for bad actors when searching for a good vacation package. Book through reputable vendors and be wary of travel companies you haven’t heard of before. Research to ensure they have a good business reputation before booking a trip. Read plenty of reviews, keeping a close eye out for complaints and reports of scams.

Until Next time!

A Podcast by BBB of the Tri-Counties

A BIG Thank you to Ayers Auto Repairs in Santa Barbara for supporting this podcast!

Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! Buying refurbished items can
save you money, but it’s important to research before you take the plunge. While many
reputable businesses offer quality pre-owned electronics, appliances, and other
products for a fraction of their original price, BBB Scam Tracker has received reports of
con artists ripping off consumers by promising a great deal on “like-new” devices that
they don’t plan on delivering.

How the scam works:

You find a website that sells refurbished items ranging from car parts to cellphones to
hair dryers. The site looks legit, and they are selling a high-dollar item you want for a
price that fits your budget. You decide to purchase through the website or a payment
app like PayPal (a BBB Accredited Business).

Then, a few days after receiving your order confirmation, you wonder why you haven’t
received a shipping confirmation. You reach out to the company, and they respond with
an excuse. They may claim they are understaffed or have had a problem with their
supply chain. Still, they assure you the item will be shipped soon.

As more time passes, it eventually becomes clear that the seller has no intention of
shipping anything. Each time you try to contact them, they either have more excuses or
become impossible to reach.

One consumer reported, “I was told multiple times the delay was from the owner being in a major car crash or dealing with a catastrophic medical accident. They even told me they were moving shop (more delays) and then that they had moved personally, which slowed delivery.” Unfortunately, the item you ordered doesn’t exist, and you’ve li lost the money you paid for it.

How to avoid refurbished product scams:

● Carefully examine a website before making a purchase. Before doing business with an online retailer, examine their website carefully. Not only should it have quality photos and typo-free content, but it should also have working contact information. In addition, you’ll want to research to find customer reviews and complaints. If you find reports of scams or no reviews at all, think twice before making a purchase. Always double-check the URL you are visiting to ensure you aren’t on a fake website.

● Understand what the term “refurbished” means. Keep in mind that refurbished means different things to different manufacturers. It can mean the product had shipping damage and was returned; it could refer to an open box product, ademo model, or an item that was broken and returned to the manufacturer. Find out what a company means by refurbished before you commit to a purchase. Remember that unauthorized third-party resellers are a big risk, especially if they don’t offer returns. Even if a reseller claims the manufacturer has refurbished the item, there’s no way you can confirm it. Buying under these circumstances is a big gamble.

● Ask about return policies. It can take a while for problems to show up, so make sure you have the option to return a refurbished item. If you can’t return it, or the return window is only a week or two, it may not be worth the risk.

● Inquire about warranties. Some manufacturer-refurbished items have an extended warranty, but this isn’t always true. Find out if the item you’re interested in qualifies for a warranty and what the conditions are. Warranties can come in handy if the refurbished item does have issues down the road. Know that anything marked “as-is” won’t have a warranty.

● Buy refurbished products from the manufacturer when possible. When a manufacturer gets a returned product, they recondition it to be like-new. They use original parts and trained repairmen to get the job done. An item refurbished by a third party may not get the same treatment. It could be repaired by someone who isn’t an expert with the brand, or it might contain different parts. Either issue means it won’t be in like-new condition when you buy it.

● Use a safe payment method. Always make online purchases with your credit card. If an online retailer doesn’t deliver on their promises, it will be easier to dispute the charges, and you’ll be more likely to get your money back.

Until next time!