Email Suzanne Email
Education
Aug 6, 2021

Watch Out For These Scams

Sponsored Content provided by Suzanne Black - NC Coastal Associate State Director for Advocacy and Community Outreach, AARP

This article was contributed by AARP North Carolina Director, Michael Olender.

Last-minute travelers beware
 
If you’re trying to squeeze in a summer trip before Labor Day, it’s buyer beware when hunting for that last-minute deal. Great travel deals can be found online but you can also find scammers looking to put your travel dollars into their pockets.
 
Crooks set up look-alike travel websites in hopes you will book with them rather than your intended company. And just because the link showed up when you searched “travel deals” doesn’t mean it can automatically be trusted. Scammers often buy paid promotions for their bogus travel sites so they appear high up in search rankings.
Before hitting ‘confirm’ on that deal, make sure you really know who you are doing business with. Be skeptical of any cut-rate hotel or airline offer that seems too good to be true. And, always pay with a credit card, which offers more protection than other forms of payment.
 
Do your research before buying a warranty
 
Despite industry and regulatory efforts to rid our phone lines of unwanted robocalls, they nevertheless persist – and many are outright scams. One of the more common scam calls involves car warranties.  
 
These scam calls typically start as a pre-recorded robocall (just like this one we pulled from the Federal Communications Commission’s website), and the message directs you to press a key to speak to a specialist or stay on the line.  Thanks to social media and data breaches, scammers may even have information on your car’s make and model to make it seem legitimate.
 
While extended warranties might be a sensible investment for some, it’s a product that you should research rather than react to, and only with verified and trustworthy sources.
 
Watch out for “hot” offers
 
Social media is an all-too-popular avenue for spreading scams among “friends.” Criminals hijack someone’s social media account and share a “great offer” to everyone on the target’s contact list.
 
The hot ‘offer’ these days involves government grants – whether it’s free money for college tuition or loan repayment, to pay household bills, or some other made-up story. But here’s the thing (actually, two things). First, the government grants billions of dollars a year – but to institutions, not to individuals. Second, you’ll learn there’s a “processing fee” that you have to pay upfront. When you hear that, all signs point to a likely scam.
 
Be a fraud fighter!  If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.
The AARP Fraud Watch Network is a free resource for all. Learn how to proactively spot scams or get guidance if you’ve been targeted. Visit www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork or call our dedicated helpline to speak to a fraud specialist at 1-877-908-3360.
 
 

Aarplogo 462194427
Ico insights

INSIGHTS

SPONSORS' CONTENT
Img 2448 52825110028

Strategic Financial Management: Leveraging Multiple Business Bank Accounts?

Romondo McEachern - Live Oak Bank
Live oak bank commercial banking team wilmington market leader brad neigel 5282510566

Strengthening Financial Health: Key Strategies for Commercial Businesses

Brad Neigel - Live Oak Bank
Jenniferadams

How CFPUA and ILM’s Partnership Helps the Region Soar

Jennifer Adams - Cape Fear Public Utility Authority

Trending News

Brokers Mark Signs Of Housing Market Slowdown

Emma Dill - Jun 18, 2025

Wilhelm Named UNCW Chief Of Staff

Staff Reports - Jun 17, 2025

Developers, Local Leaders Talk Ongoing Downtown Projects

Emma Dill - Jun 17, 2025

Miller Sworn In To CFPUA Board

Staff Reports - Jun 17, 2025

Dorn Named Managing Broker Of Real Estate Firm's Hampstead Office

Staff Reports - Jun 17, 2025

In The Current Issue

Life Science Industry Buzzing

“We want a rising tide to rise because it helps everybody. Wilmington has a lot of what we need (but we) just need everyone in the same rowb...


Small Business Spotlight: Company Sinks Teeth Into Diving

The company’s primary focus has shifted from salvage, recovery and inspection to recovery and sales of fossils....


Island School Offers Unique Option

Located on Bald Head Island three miles off the coast of Southport, the Bald Head Island Academy, founded in 2022, is a private, K-8 school...

Book On Business

The 2024 WilmingtonBiz: Book on Business is an annual publication showcasing the Wilmington region as a center of business.

Order Your Copy Today!


Galleries

Videos

2024 Power Breakfast: The Next Season