How to Protect Yourself From Biggest Scams Hitting Utahns This Summer

One of the big scams the Better Business Bureau is seeing this summer is the debt collection scam. That’s the one where you get an angry phone call from someone, usually posing as an IRS agent, who demands an immediate payment through a wire transfer or even gift cards sometimes.

But that’s only one of several hot scams going on in Utah you’ll need to protect yourself from this summer.

Check Overpayment Scam

Michelle McNair, for one, thought she stumbled onto a small windfall. Someone wanted to pay her $400 a week to wrap a big vinyl ad around her car. She became suspicious when she got a check for nearly $1,000 and was told to keep her part but send the rest back to the company.

“I was supposed to put the check in the bank and then I was supposed to wire the money,” recounted McNair.

But, it was a classic overpayment scam. Had McNair wired that money, a few days later her bank would have discovered the check she received had been forged and she would have been on the hook for the entire amount.

“I would have had to pay all that money back,” said McNair. “I would have been stuck with it.”

Experts warn to never wire money to people you don’t know. And, don’t take a check that’s more than you agreed on.

Home Improvement Scam

A contractor stops by saying there’s leftover material from a driveway they’re repaving down the street. They’ll repave yours for dirt cheap, today only.

“They’ll say, ‘Hey, I’ve got this asphalt and you’re the last person,’” explained Mark Steinagel, director of the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, or DOPL. “And they really say that to 20 other people.”

Steinagel says the pressure tactics and low price can blind us, whether we’re being sold on a new driveway, a new roof or repairs to a chimney among many other services.

Other red flags include cash-only deals or high advance payments, handshake deals and shoddy workmanship.

Steinagel says your best defense is to check a contractor out before you hire him or her.

“The good contractors aren’t afraid of you checking — checking references, checking your license and getting a written estimate.” explained Steinagel. “The good contractors want to treat the consumer well.”

To avoid getting scammed, check for licensing on the DOPL website, http://dopl.utah.gov.

“It’s not hard to get licensing, but what licensing does is that it allows us to make sure a contractor has insurance, check their financial responsibility, they have to have some education,” explained Steinagel. “So, there’s a number of things that protects consumers.”

Online Purchases Scam

So far this summer, online purchase scams have been the most reported scams to the Better Business Bureau of Utah.

“Most of them deal with Facebook ads or fake websites,” said the BBB’s Whitley Ray.

She says many Utahns are enticed into free trial traps by ads, bogus news articles, even quizzes on social media.

“They say you can purchase this item and all you pay is shipping, but later they’ll charge you for the subscription,” she explained.

Another growing online purchase scam involve counterfeit goods. The BBB is warning consumers about ads for Ray-Ban designer sunglasses popping up Instagram touting a 90% discount. But, those sunglasses are fake.

When shopping online, stick to reputable websites.

“Always ‘Google’ the website to see if you can find scams, if you can (find) ripoffs through reviews or other reports like that,” Ray said. “See what you can find before you take the discount.”

Also, read all terms and conditions. If they are difficult to find or you cannot find them at all, those are red flags.

And when shopping online, use a credit card. They give you stronger protections than debit cards. Plus, if you get hit by scammers, they cannot clean out your bank account.