Mail and Email Scams
I reported on one mail scam earlier on and have received another. But, I'm not going to turn this blog into a scam reporting service. All I will say is that if you receive an "Awards Certificate" from an organization you didn't solicit, or if the deal appears to be too good to be true...it is and just shred it.
If you still have questions, get on the web and enter in some prominent keywords, for example, the name of the "contest" and the name of the company sponsoring the contest, sweepstakes, or giveaway. There will likely be a few websites providing enough information for you to make a relatively informed decision. If you're still unsure, call the Better Business Bureau in your area. I would say that 99.99% of the "You've Won....!!!!" letters you get in the mail are promotional gimmicks that will net you nothing, a bushel of additiional junk mail , or worse, the loss of hard earned cash when you are pressured into buying some overpriced product you don't need and will never use. No, I take that back, it's 100% of the "Congratulations!" letters you get in the mail.
I don't seem to get as many of these in the mail as I used to, but it still irritates me. If enough people quit falling for these schemes perhaps they will go away. Who wants to buy any products from a company that employs these tactics in the first place? The same as if I'm going to go ahead and visit a website or purchase a product after being tricked by a false email subject line. Like the best way to get me to buy something I don't need is to make me think any correspondence is from someone I know, then blast me with a litany of garbage offers and incentives, fake testimonials and blown out of proportion promises.
The thought of getting something for nothing, a free car, cash, airline tickets (which usually require you book at accommodations at the resort of the prize-giver's choice and for a minimum number of nights), big screen TV, etc. is compelling. Resist the urge. Put down the phone. Take a breath. It's not real. It's only a dream.
If you still have questions, get on the web and enter in some prominent keywords, for example, the name of the "contest" and the name of the company sponsoring the contest, sweepstakes, or giveaway. There will likely be a few websites providing enough information for you to make a relatively informed decision. If you're still unsure, call the Better Business Bureau in your area. I would say that 99.99% of the "You've Won....!!!!" letters you get in the mail are promotional gimmicks that will net you nothing, a bushel of additiional junk mail , or worse, the loss of hard earned cash when you are pressured into buying some overpriced product you don't need and will never use. No, I take that back, it's 100% of the "Congratulations!" letters you get in the mail.
I don't seem to get as many of these in the mail as I used to, but it still irritates me. If enough people quit falling for these schemes perhaps they will go away. Who wants to buy any products from a company that employs these tactics in the first place? The same as if I'm going to go ahead and visit a website or purchase a product after being tricked by a false email subject line. Like the best way to get me to buy something I don't need is to make me think any correspondence is from someone I know, then blast me with a litany of garbage offers and incentives, fake testimonials and blown out of proportion promises.
The thought of getting something for nothing, a free car, cash, airline tickets (which usually require you book at accommodations at the resort of the prize-giver's choice and for a minimum number of nights), big screen TV, etc. is compelling. Resist the urge. Put down the phone. Take a breath. It's not real. It's only a dream.
posted by Mike Shipman | 1:11:00 PM
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