Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams
There's something about cleavage that moves simple men to accept the most preposterous notions. Witness the witless people who were scammed last week by a perp who offered them jobs as security guards at the Playboy Mansion Halloween bash.
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Technology, Relationships
We all want to see breast cancer cured, so it's no surprise that people respond to an email that tells them that sending a single text message or email to a friend would cause a large national' [...]Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Celebs & Money
The well known women at wowOwow.com are stopping by WalletPop on a frequent basis to answer your spending and personal finance questions.
This week we asked them: Step into Nancy Pelosi's shoes for a moment: What should be done about Charles' [...]
Filed under: Borrowing, Home, Kids and Money, Ripoffs and Scams, Tax, Fraud, Mortgages, Taxes-tax credits
Homebuyers did not have to truly be first-timers in order to qualify for the "first time homebuyer" tax credit, expiring Nov. 30; they only had [...]
Filed under: Banks, Home, Ripoffs and Scams, Mortgages, Refinancing
My mother-in-law is divorced, newly retired and wants to enjoy her Golden Years. Because she just turned 62 and owns her house, she considered a reverse mortgage to turn her home equity into a [...]
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Fraud, Consumer Ally
MoneyGram International, Inc., has agreed to pay $18 million to settle federal charges that the money transfer service allowed itself to be a conduit for con artists who allegedly bilked people out of tens of millions [...]
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Consumer Complaints, Consumer Ally
Advertisements trumpeting "Bernie Madoff Auction" ahead of events being held at hotels around the country appear to have little or no connection to the criminal or his victims, a WalletPop investigation found.
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Investing
At the annual meeting of the numismatic world this week attendees have had the opportunity to examine some examples of counterfeit coins from China that are reportedly flooding into the U.S. market. Five key organizations in the field have [...]
Filed under: Extracurriculars, Ripoffs and Scams, Career, Health, Wealth
According to a story by Reuters Friday, a recent study determined that moustache-wearers earn 4.3 percent more than their clean-shaven compatriots. The survey -- which claimed to have randomly sampled 2,000 moustachioed men, [...]Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Shopping, Health
There are a few things you just don't do and one of those is mess with someone who is close to Oprah.
Filed under: Insurance, Ripoffs and Scams, Fraud, Consumer Ally, Insurance-car
Filed under: Extracurriculars, Ripoffs and Scams, Transportation, Travel
You didn't complain. So you're going to pay more.
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Shopping
The FTC has finally updated a long-overdue guide on endorsements and testimonials to address changes in technology and advertising mediums. The new rules are designed to bring greater truth and disclosure to blogs, TV ads relying on testimonials [...]
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Shopping, Technology
If you were one of the thousands of shoppers who purchased a new computer since June 26 and are expecting a free upgrade to Windows 7 you may find yourself paying to get that "free" upgrade.
Filed under: Extracurriculars, Ripoffs and Scams
Publishers Clearing House is known for its prizes. You've seen the commercials. The prize patrol is driving around, looking for you, hoping to give you a big fat check for entering its sweepstakes.
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Shopping, Consumer Ally
They call them "rebate" cards. But they're hardly a rebate. Instead, they are a mechanism to take millions of dollars due to consumers and give them back to the companies.
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Transportation, Travel
The airlines have some mighty long sleeves. How else can you explain all the dirty tricks they're able to pull out of them? The newest one: Almost all of the legacy carriers in the United States have,' [...]
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Health, Identity Theft, Consumer Ally
Being someone who tries to steal from people through scams means having to come up with some believable proposition with the potential to get the person on the other end to give up money [...]
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams
Here's a hint; if you can't go five minutes without checking on your Facebook page, don't take up burglary as a career. According to the Martinsburg, W. Va. Journal, 19-year-old Jonathan G. Parker took the time, while in the midst of a' [...]
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Technology, Consumer Ally, Credit cards
Last week we looked at Webloyalty's steps to address the flood of consumer complaints that helped trigger a Senate Commerce Committee investigation in May. This week we'll look at Vertrue, subpoenaed [...]
Filed under: Budgets, Ripoffs and Scams, Saving Money, Economizer
First, the good news: Americans are saving more than they have been in months. Unlike a couple of years ago, when we were literally spending every penny we made and then some, we are [...]
Filed under: Real Estate, Ripoffs and Scams, Fraud, Investing, Consumer Ally
A real estate investment guru who hosted a radio talk show and investing seminars was arrested in Dallas on fraud and identity theft charges, the FBI said.
Filed under: Banks, Ripoffs and Scams
Banks will charge a shameful $38.5 billion in overdraft fees to the American public this year, and most of them are the ones who can least afford it -- the working poor and the unemployed who are constantly juggling [...]
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Technology
If you've noticed an increase the amount of spam you're getting recently, you're not alone. A new method of sending spam in short concentrated bursts, the equivalent of a hit-and-run attack, is beating filters and allowing more illicit and dangerous' [...]Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Consumer Complaints, Consumer Ally
Nobody wants to get nailed with unexpected credit card charges in this economy. Who's got money to waste?
Filed under: Banks, Home, Ripoffs and Scams, Fraud, Relationships, Bankruptcy
It's hard to imagine a pleasant foreclosure. Like root canals or appendicitis, they don't really come with a silver lining; after all, it's hard to find a way to put a smiley' [...]
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Consumer Complaints, Consumer Ally
So, you want to be a writer? You think you have some talent, maybe an idea that people need to know about, or perhaps you have the next great novel swirling in your brain, and you're' [...]Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Consumer Complaints, Consumer Ally
One tactic used by scammers to avoid losing business and keep from being detected is to constantly change names. That is intended to keep any of the purported companies from collecting too many complaints that would draw attention to [...]
Filed under: Banks, Ripoffs and Scams
This sort of thing could be a trend, so watch out if you're a customer of a recently failed bank, or if your bank collapses in the near future.
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Shopping, Health, Consumer Ally
CVS agreed to pay $2.8 million in consumer refunds and stop claiming that its knock-off "AirShield" supplement can fight germs, help battle colds or boost the immune system, the Federal Trade Commission said.
Filed under: Banks, Credit, Ripoffs and Scams, Identity Theft, Banking-checking-account, Banking-savings-account
It was a Sunday morning, in Hyattsville, Md., right about 10:30 a.m., and not exactly the time you would expect your purse to be stolen from your car while you're paying' [...]
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Technology, Health, Consumer Ally
If you've struggled with weight loss, it's possible a doctor may have prescribed you the drug phentermine.
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Transportation, Fraud, Insurance-car
Depending on the state you live in, your wheels may be more likely to be stolen. In Arizona, the most stolen vehicle is a Dodge Ram Pickup. In Washington, it's a Honda Accord.' [...]
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Wealth
What do you do if you're the most recognizable name in the gold buying business and you find out that the Consumerist has reported on a former employee's allegations of shady dealings?
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Saving Money, Technology, Consumer Complaints
Consumers who haven't migrated their bill receiving functions online are increasingly finding that they're at the mercy of companies now charging for paper statements. It's a source of irritation for many who feel that' [...]
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Buyer Beware
LazyManandMoney.com is one of the better personal finance blogsites out there -- and it recently had the nerve to do a post skeptical of a multilevel marketing company called MonaVie and its $1.70-per-ounce juice.
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Consumer Complaints
New rules to be implemented by the federal government could result in less dinner-time indigestion for millions of Americans frequently disrupted by automated phone calls offering time shares, extended product warranties or any manner of other products.
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, The Dolans, Fraud, Identity Theft
You can now add Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to the long list of the the rich and famous who have been victims of identity theft.
It's just been revealed that while Bernanke [...]
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Green
Earlier this month, a couple attempted to foist a counterfeit $20 bill on a 10-year-old boy at his Seattle lemonade stand. In Columbus, Ohio, one of my neighbors was stiffed for a twenty at her yard sale. The [...]
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Relationships, Buyer Beware, Consumer Ally
You may have seen TV ads for a customized personal history of your family name, printed out on faux-parchment and hallway-display-ready (the commercials are about as cheesy as Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Obama's). You may' [...]Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Video
If you haven't seen the con live on the street corners of New York, you've seen it in endless movies and TV shows -- a sidewalk fast-talker challenges passers-by to wager that they can correctly identify the red card among the three laid [...]
Filed under: Kids and Money, Ripoffs and Scams, Shopping, Green
I trusted Swiss aluminum-bottle manufacturer SIGG, even though in general I'm not inclined to trust any company in our modern society's atmosphere of lax regulation of chemicals. Case in point: The FDA has largely [...]
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Technology, Buyer Beware, Consumer Ally
These days it's getting so you can't tell the consumer watchdogs from the crooks. I've exposed a number of phony do-gooders over the years, and the pretend-watchdog routine runs rampant among competing marketers of [...]
Filed under: Budgets, Debt, Ripoffs and Scams, Saving Money, Wealth, Recession
The ads are all over the TV and the Internet -- "Turn your gold into cash!"
All you have to do is call and they will send you an envelope to [...]
Filed under: College, Ripoffs and Scams, Consumer Complaints, Buyer Beware, Consumer Ally
Laura McCurdy of Rhode Island wrote to WalletPop about her problem with Textbookwheel.com, a site that markets itself as a place to get cash for old college texts.
Filed under: Debt, Ripoffs and Scams, Consumer Complaints
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (pictured at right) has sued Benning-Smith Group, a debt collection agency operating under a number of different names, accusing the company of more than 1,000 violations of New York and [...]
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Charity
If you're not rich yet: it's because God doesn't want you to be.
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Shopping, Consumer Ally
To save money, Enterprise Rent-A-Car ordered 66,000 Chevrolet Impalas with the standard side curtain airbags deleted, renting them to unsuspecting customers nationwide from 2006-2008 -- a decision a safety expert called extraordinary.
Filed under: Ripoffs and Scams, Consumer Ally
Three years ago more than 250 payday lenders were doing business in Arkansas. As of this week, all are out of business.
Filed under: Entrepreneurship, Ripoffs and Scams
You've seen free car media -- regular passenger cars, not company cars, plastered with advertising.
Owners of these cars receive a monthly check to compensate them for allowing advertisers to apply auto wraps to their rides.
