Some Holiday Consumer Rip Offs

Published on December 21, 2013 By DrJBHL In Personal Computing

A quickie…but seven rip offs to be aware of this holiday season!

You can find details on them here: LINK.

1. Holiday shopping clubs and “bait and switch”, slow delivery, broken items. Do your research!

2. Breyers ice cream that isn’t… “Frozen Dairy Dessert”.

3. Solar panels…which are defective. Guess where they were made.

4. Special “Legendary” liquors and liqueurs… legends in bluff: Benedictine and “Legend of Kremlin”.

5. Overpayment scams: You sell something on eBay (or wherever) and the buyer pays by check for a larger sum. You are asked to send back the difference. Then you find out there were “insufficient funds” to cover the overpayment.

6. Moving company scams. The classic? Low balling which is jacked up after the move is in progress. Have detailed lists which the mover signs off on. Have detailed contents lists and pictures. There are more. Buy more insurance than you think you need.

7. “Healthy” fruit smoothies. Take a good look at the contents…and calories (can be up to 600). You’d be far better off with a glass of orange juice, or better? Peel an orange.

And, have safe, good holidays!

Comments

Heavenfall

on Dec 21, 2013

Never heard of 5 before, who even accepts payment from another individual by check? Sounds like you're asking to lose the money.

Thank you for this post, christmas shopping is ripe with scammers and whatnot. Staying safe helps keep the spirit of the season alive.

DrJBHL

on Dec 21, 2013

Heavenfall

reply 1

Thank you for this post, christmas shopping is ripe with scammers and whatnot. Staying safe helps keep the spirit of the season alive.

You're welcome.

Quicksilver007

on Dec 21, 2013

"On the Ball" as usual Doc!

Thanks, Happy Holidays!!

Seleuceia

on Dec 21, 2013

Heavenfall

reply 1

Never heard of 5 before, who even accepts payment from another individual by check? Sounds like you're asking to lose the money.

Happens on craiglists too....easy to avoid if you simply make sure the check clears, but most people don't wait that long, especially when threatened that they will be reported for taking too much money...

Ryat

on Dec 21, 2013

7. “Healthy” fruit smoothies. Take a good look at the contents…and calories (can be up to 600). You’d be far better off with a glass of orange juice, or better? Peel an orange.

One point to this. If the nutritional value of said smoothie is high enough (which is possible if its made right), 600 calories is not a bad thing. Check ingredients list as well. Some calories are better than others.

Frankief

on Dec 21, 2013

Breyers ice cream that isn’t… “Frozen Dairy Dessert”.

That stuff tastes absolutely horrible and shame on Breyers for doing this switch without clearly stating what they are doing. We threw it in the trash, it was so bad. Shame on them.

Uvah

on Dec 21, 2013

I don't like Breyers! Yuck! Turkey Hill or Eddy's is much better. Quality over quantity any day.

Frankief

on Dec 21, 2013

Uvah

reply 7

I don't like Breyers! Yuck! Turkey Hill or Eddy's is much better. Quality over quantity any day.

If you follow Doc.s link you will see that Turkey Hill is making the same changes and no longer is it real Ice Cream. Breyer's used to be good but not anymore. I will only buy Blue Bell now!

Crastiloowa

on Dec 23, 2013

RE: Ice Cream - all of the "big names" now make some "not quite Ice Cream" variations - but they also still make "real" Ice Cream too; just have to read the label.

Just for some perspective on "real" Ice Cream, though, nearly all of what's now sold in the US as "Ice Cream" couldn't be marketed as such until a couple decades ago (they used to have to call it "Ice Milk" or similar) because it's not based on high milk-fat base. The government made a change to the rules based on health reasons, There was a bit of a hue and cry at the time, but that was before the Internet and its ability to organize protests over any arbitrary cause, so people eventually just got used to it.

I expect people will do the same for the "Frozen Dairy Dessert" products too (though personally I find them awful.)

ElanaAhova

on Dec 24, 2013

Seth, thank you for bringing alternet (source of your info about the 7 scams of xmas marketing). Toda raba, muchas gracias, thank you.

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