Designed To Rip You Off

How has your experience been doing with online shopping? Depending on where and who it is, for me it is  an up AND down experience.

Two events have happened to me recently that made this immediately clear.

The first event, a double whammy,  occurred while looking at my  Citi / COSTCO credit card statement. While not a fan of AARP, especially after reading an article stating men really didn't need a PSA blood test for prostrate cancer, just after I was diagnosed with prostrate cancer discovered after a test, the one piece of advice I do follow is to "get a paper credit card statement" and go over every charge every month. Looking at mine, there were two charges I didn't recognize. Their phone numbers were there so I called them.

Both were for some kind of exercise plan. I NEVER signed up for them. At 79? The first one hung up on me as I queried the charge and the second offered a 25% discount.

I immediately called Citi Bank, explained these charges and the agent found yet another bogus charge, all three had different names with a total of over $250.00 in bogus charges. Somehow they got my name and credit card number. She immediately canceled the card, denied the charge I hadn't seen and told me to pay my bill and they would issue credits for the two contested bills. They would send a new card and new COSTCO card number. So not only did I lose a credit card, my COSTCO membership was put on hold.

How many of you could be facing this same dilemnna? Do you "look" at credit card statements? Any statements?

I saved a company I consulted for over $4,000 on their Verizon phone bill after I uncovered a whole slew of charges Verizon allowed to be added to their bill. The operator I worked with admitted they never check the validity of additional charges and that most companies just pay their bill never checking to make sure there aren't added charges each month. Just think of the millions paid each month. Talk about a cash cow!

The second was an article that appeared in the Los Angeles Times stating: "At Least 73% of U.S. Adults fell for online scams. How to avoid the latest." They then continue with the common means of scamming us. Social media ads, fake job posts, even your online calendar can pose hidden dangers.

I admit, I've been ripped off on Facebook, several times in fact. For me clothing or shoes. I've since learned to write down the name and number of the item, then looked at their web site and Amazon plus paying particular attention to reviews. When I started using a computer in my 50's a young friend told me ALWAYS keep paper and pencil nearby. Boy was he right. So should you. DON'T just click because you never really know where you are going. Social media accounts do no vetting and allow just about anything to get posted.

The TIMES article confirmed that the most common cons were credit card fraud. Not only do they use the card themselves, they sell it to their friends! About 24% received scam email that tricked them into giving  away personal information. 32% were scammed in the last year. Oddly those between the ages of 18 to 59 were 34% more likely to be scammed than those over 60. Why? It could be seniors are not using their digital devices as often as younger citizens but other articles I've read said seniors often lose more because they are wealthier. Seniors are more vulnerable through phone scams, a device they are more likely to use. See the movie THELMA and you'll see what I mean.

The article continues stating to avoid any items you are not familiar with. I've heard tales of bogus UPS or FedEx emails stating they have a package for you but the address is wrong. Call to confirm. It may "look" real, it's not. Temu is a lousy deliverer. Items ordered have been found everywhere on the rocks or ground in our complex other than my front door.

I will never order from STACK SOCIAL again after ordering a new lifetime Apple version of Microsoft  Office. In ordering it  I discovered I had ordered it in 2019. It didn't work so I had to order it again and couldn't download it. I sent a query to them and they responded they would contact me. Just like phone messages today, they never did. 

Computer hackers live in a brutal dystopian world where they spend hours discovering ways to take your money. Californians, have you ever received notices that you owe Fastrak fees so pay up or go to jail? I looked into it for you. They're from The Philippines. How would they know you're on the I-10 in downtown Los Angeles hoping the carpool lane is faster? Hint, it's not so save your money. Or how about the phone call my iPhone identified as a possible scam from North Korea. You think?

We now live in a digital world where digital entities like Facebook, Amazon, TikTok, Instagram even X know more about you than your government does. A few years ago when the government finally made Facebook allow its users to "see" what information Facebook had on you, a CBS reporter gave up after 1,800 pages.

So beware. There are thousands if not millions of hackers around the world trying to relieve you of your money. The digital world is not constrained by borders anymore. It's worldwide and growing. Until governments put more teeth into punishing these people it's a growing business and YOU are their target.

Thank you for reading my blog! Please be sure to visit on a regular basis or contact me at KrugsStudio@gmail.com. New blogs are added all the time. In conjunction  with my store I feel that “design” is an important part of our lives. Everything we use or live by was designed by someone. Please tell your friends, artists or anyone who appreciates design about my blog.

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