Terry Ambrose

Writing is like a good barbecue sauce, if it ain't bold, it ain't worth doing.

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The Vast Platinum Shopping Credit Card — scam or a good deal?

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Vast Platinum Shopping Credit Card

Last week I received an email credit card offer for the Vast Platinum Shopping Credit Card. Not having seen a credit card offer in the mail in a long time, I was curious. With a little checking, it became obvious very quickly that the email was a scam using what is, at best, a dubious, but legitimate, credit card.

The email offer

Dealing with spam (not the canned kind, but the email) can be almost a daily routine. How many times has some wannabe scammer sent out an email without spellchecking their work? Good grief, guys. Listen up, you need to pay more attention to details.

The email I received was from “Subject line.” Really? The actual subject line read, “1000 USD: You are Invited to Apply.” How nice. I was invited. It almost sounds like it would be a privilege to have the card—but then, that’s assuming I’d even want a card with such terrible terms.

The Vast Platinum Shopping Credit Card

The real Vast Platinum Shopping Credit Card isn’t much better than the email solicitation I received. To begin, this card is a store credit card, which means it’s for exclusive use at an online store. Unique Card Services offers this card and it comes with some very questionable terms.

The card comes with an application fee of $29.95 and a monthly fee of $19.95. That’s going to set you back almost $270 your first year. On their website, Unique Card Services has a large box that says there’s no monthly fee on the card, yet in the fine print it discloses that there actually is a monthly fee.

The company puts a positive marketing spin on the card terms—save big bucks shopping online, we never turn down an application, blah, blah. The flip side is the company is gouging unsuspecting people who need access to credit with exorbitant monthly fees and dubious claims. While not an out-and-out scam, this one runs as close to the line as it gets without crossing over. Save your money and find a better deal.

Did you like this scam tip? Take a look at last month’s, 6 tips for dealing with Amazon brushing scams.

6 tips for dealing with Amazon brushing scams

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Amazon brushing scams can bring free stuff you don't really want

A package from Amazon arrived about two weeks ago. My wife hadn’t ordered it. Nor had she paid for it. After a great deal of trouble, we finally found out how to get past the Amazon robots and get to a real person. We suspected this to be one of the Amazon brushing scams, and yet, when we finally reached a real person at Amazon to report it things did not go well.

What are Amazon brushing scams?

This is one of those scams that makes no sense to me. From what I can tell, it’s intent is to boost the positive reviews for a product on Amazon. As an author who’s always looking for reviews on his books, I get that. But what doesn’t make sense is that someone opens an account in your name, places an order, ships the package to your address, all so they can write up a fake review.

The ‘upside’ of a brushing scam

You get free stuff. In a way, it’s like hitting the lottery. Unfortunately, none of the stuff we’ve received so far was anything we wanted. The bigger problem is, I subscribe to the old adage that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Yup. There’s gotta be a catch.

Is there a downside?

According to the Better Business Bureau brushing scams are designed to help businesses sell more products. Since most online purchases are driven by reviews, there’s a certain logic to that. There is, however, another possibility. If your name and address is being used to create a fake Amazon account, that means someone has your name and mailing address. And therein lies the big potential downside.

In addition to their use as a way to boost online sales, brushing scams create the potential for exposure to identity theft. It sounds very ‘conspiracy theory-ish’, but a name and address are the starting place for all credit accounts. So while the average brushing scam is nothing more than an online reseller trying to boost their ratings on Amazon to sell more product, there’s the potential for it to lead to something much worse, which means they are not something that can be ignored.

5 Tips for dealing with Amazon brushing scams

Tip #1: Don’t take this lightly. Assume the worst and expect that someone is out to commit identity theft. Therefore, immediately check your account at Amazon and make sure your account has not been compromised. If it has, change your password immediately and update all of your account information.

Tip #2: Check with your credit card company to make sure there are no fraudulent charges on your card.

Tip #3: Check your credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com. This is the only service where you get three annual credit reports for free. Other services will claim they’re doing that, but they’ll charge for the service.

Tip #4: Take photos of the shipping label and/or the packing slip for each package that you receive. The tracking numbers from these labels will be needed later.

Tip #5: Call Amazon and tell them what’s going on. They’ll need their tracking numbers from the shipping label or the packing slip. Tell them you want them to close the fake account that’s being used to send you packages. They will probably give you the runaround, but then you can go to Tip #6.

Tip #6: Report the issue to the Better Business Bureau It turns out that was the only way we got Amazon to take this seriously. Based on the emails we received from their representative, they must have a dedicated team to work on Better Business Bureau complaints. They did eventually close the bogus account, but it took far more work on our part than it should have.

Like this scam tip? Check out last month’s tip, Social media shopping scams warning signs and tips.

Social media shopping scams warning signs and tips

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social media shopping scams

 If you like shopping the sales you see on social media, think twice the next time you spot a great deal. On August 3, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported a rise in social media shopping scams. Read on to see how scammers are using social media for shopping scams.

Cookies, ads, and social media shopping scams

Let’s begin with cookies—and I’m not referring to chocolate chip or anything yummy like that. Google says, “A cookie is a small piece of text sent to your browser by a website you visit. It helps the website to remember information about your visit, like your preferred language and other settings.” So cookies are a major convenience tool for users, right? Well, yes, but that convenience comes at a very high cost. Google uses cookies from your computer for many good things. But besides all that good stuff, cookies are used to sell advertising. They’re also used to provide ‘relevant’ search results. (Seriously? Don’t even get me started on that subject!)

Recently, I was looking for a new flash attachment for my camera. Immediately after doing a little research on Amazon, I started seeing ads on Facebook for camera lighting options. An ad for an excellent product showed up in my timeline. Ever the skeptic, I found the company independently, checked their product ratings on their website and confirmed there were equally glowing reviews on Amazon. That got me more ads. In this case, the original ad was legitimate. The problem is, plenty of people are falling prey to ads that take them to fake websites.

A steal is not always a deal

According to the FBI, an increasing number of victims have not received items they purchased. They purchased these items from websites offering low prices on gym equipment, small appliances, tools and furniture. And let’s not forget face masks. No matter how much you love your social media, using it for shopping is very risky. (It’s the same for news, but that’s a different subject). A social media ad is very similar to an email solicitation—it could be legitimate, or it might be someone out to take your money and give you a shoddy product in return.

Warning signs

Beware the low price: Always suspect low prices from unknown retailers. The FBI reports that victims who ordered face masks received paper masks shipped from China, not the quality product that they ordered. Some victims of social media shopping scams were even told they needed to return the cheap masks to China to get a refund.

Always pay with a credit card: If a seller wants payment using an online money transfer service, don’t fall for it. You have zero protection with a money transfer.

Websites not using .com: Always look closely at the website address. If the domain isn’t a .com, you might be dealing with a scammer. I often use a whois lookup to see who owns a domain name. This is a free tool that can provide you with valuable information—and will also disclose those who are hiding their actual identity.

Free email address instead of company address: Anyone, repeat, anyone, can get a free email address. If you receive an email from an address that doesn’t use the business’s domain name, this could be a scammer.

If you’ve been scammed

Tip #1 Dispute the charges with your credit card company. (You used a credit card, right?) If you didn’t, contact your financial institution and ask for help.

Tip #2 File a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov.

Tip #3 Check your credit report. Once you’ve been the victim of fraudulent activity, expect it to continue. Scammers are not known for their compassion and, depending on how much information you gave them, you may have opened the door to losing more than the $10.95 you spent on those fifty-cent face masks.

If you like this scam tip, check out last month’s tip, Scam tip: free face masks—not really

Scam tip: free face masks—not really

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free face masks scam tip
Illustration depicting a red and white road sign with a scam free concept. White background.

Free face masks?

If your first reaction is, what do I have to do to get one? Think again. This is a scam in which a bad actor offers free face masks in exchange for your Medicare or Social Security number. Obviously, you know not to give out your Social Security number. Right? Please tell me you do. But a Medicare number? Why would anyone want that? It turns out, for a lot of reasons.

Medicare fraud is big business

In 2017 alone, it’s estimated that the amount of Medicare fraud was more than $50 billion. If your Medicare card falls into the wrong hands, it can be used in these scams and you might find yourself an unwitting accomplice.

Tip #1: Protect your Medicare Number and only give out the number to medical service providers you know.

Free face masks for your Medicare Number

After any disaster or national emergency, scammers look for new lures to use in their schemes. Face masks are one of those current hot items. Scammers are cashing in on the need for face masks by posing as Medicare representatives or medical service providers and offering free masks.

Tip #2: Medicare won’t call you unless you call them first.

Masks for sale!

We’ve heard plenty over the past few months about N-95 face masks. While these single-use masks are the best available, according to the CDC, these masks should be reserved for medical personnel. That hasn’t stopped the market from offering them for sale, though. The scammers, of course, know this and are selling their own version of N-95 masks on places like Facebook, Instagram, and news sites. Unfortunately, the masks they send—if they send one at all—are cheaply made paper.

Tip #3: Save your money! Make your own mask with household materials.

Tip #4: Spend wisely. If you do buy a mask, don’t buy from an ad on social media, especially Facebook (a haven for misinformation). Instead, buy from a reputable reseller.

Tip #5: Protect your money. For any purchases you make online, be sure to use a credit card. This allows you to dispute a charge if something goes wrong.

Check out last month’s contact tracing scam tip.

Scam Tip: COVID-19 Contact Tracing Scams

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Graphic courtesy CDC.gov.

It was only a matter of time before scammers realized yet another opportunity provided by COVID-19—contact tracing scams. I’m a strong believer in contact tracing as a way to help slow the spread of COVID-19, but I also know scammers will use any trick they can to steal your information. Here are a few tips to help you safely maneuver through these very stressful times.

What is contact tracing?

Contract tracing is used to identify people who have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Contact tracing can be done manually or via an app that runs on a cellphone. Once someone has been identified as having come in contact with an infected person, they are instructed to quarantine and monitor their symptoms daily.

Is it safe to cooperate?

Contact tracing does not involve collecting personal information such as social security numbers, birthdates, or immigration status. A legitimate contract tracer also will not be asking for financial information or any kind of payment. What this means is that the legitimate contact tracer won’t jeopardize your personal information or financial security.

Graphic courtesy City of Carlsbad.

Tips to avoid the scams

Tip #1: Like any other scam, this one happens via email, text message, and/or telephone. An email or text message scam will include a link, which will either download malware or take you to a fake website that will ask for personal information. Do not click that link.

Tip #2: Gone are the days when phone scams were dying out due to their cost. Now, scammers run phone banks, spoof telephone numbers, and train their operators. This makes dealing with a phone version of this scam much more difficult. However, there’s a clear dividing line. If someone asks for your social security number or other sensitive information, even if they say it’s voluntary, assume it’s a scam and hang up.

Tip #3: If you’re feeling stressed or pressured, find someone you can talk to for support. Let’s face it, people under a lot of stress do stupid things. We make bad choices.

If you need to talk to someone, you can get help at 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746. Learn more about stress and coping during the COVID-19 outbreak at CDC.gov.

Resurge dietary supplement —scam or the real deal?

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You’ll have to look far and wide to find a product with better reviews than the Resurge dietary supplement. It’s been a long time since I’ve covered a product like this, but I received an email touting this drug’s miracle benefits about two weeks ago. The email contained typos, bad grammar, and a questionable photo of two supposed “lab workers.” Oh, and let’s not forget about improving sleep and helping to prevent COVID-19. A little much? .

The big caveat

Let me be clear. I am not a doctor or any other kind of medical professional. I have not used this product. I am not recommending this product. And I do not have an affiliate link to the product’s website. I also cannot give you a definitive answer on whether John Barban’s Resurge dietary supplement actually works. What I can tell you is there are a number of reasons to be wary if you’re interested in the Resurge dietary supplement.

Tip #1: Beware of loosely defined FDA Approved labels

When you start looking for information on Resurge, the words “FDA Approved” show up a lot. Some websites and reviewers claim the drug is FDA Approved. Others claim, “Resurge is manufactured in the USA in an FDA approved and GMP (good manufacturing practices) certified facility under the most sterile, strict and precise standards.” (That particular statement came from the email I received.)

To begin with, the FDA regulates dietary supplements, but it does not approve them. If a marketer claims the drug is FDA Approved, find another resource. The term GMP is legitimate. It refers to labs creating pharmaceutical products consistently and maintaining quality standards. Also, the FDA does inspect labs for GMP compliance every two years. So, it’s possible this drug is produced in a GMP lab. The big problem is the lab is not identified, so nobody really knows.

Tip #2: Watch out for extravagant claims

“There’s never been anything like Resurge in the history of health.” That quote comes directly from the product’s own website, Yes, John Barban and his sister Lisa market Resurge as “the most revolutionary product in history.” Need I say more? If that comment alone doesn’t leave you skeptical, remember that the FDA warns of products with, “promises of a quick fix, for example, ‘lose 10 pounds in one week.’” Actually, for this product, the Barbans don’t make that claim. Instead, they’re in for the long haul, meaning that you must use the product between three to six months for it to be effective. And this stuff’s not cheap.

Tip #3: The sheer volume of positive reviews

I normally suggest people check online for unbiased reviews of a product before buying it. The key word there is ‘unbiased,’ and the problem with the Resurge dietary supplement is there are none. Sorry, but I get even more skeptical when NOBODY has something negative to say about a product.

Tip #4: The fake Resurge supplement marketing scams

According to one YouTube reviewer, there are a multitude of websites out there marketing Resurge under the pretense of offering a discount, but are really running a scam. He described scams in which the marketer clones the official Resurge website and then steals payment information from unsuspecting buyers. Sounds scary, right?

The reviewer went on to say he had personally used the product and that it worked. There’s only one problem—well, two. First, he says the product is FDA Approved. It’s not. See Tip #1. The other problem ties back to my initial comments about his review. After casting doubt on every website except for the “official” one, he provides a helpful a link to that site. So what’s the problem? There’s a little required disclaimer at the bottom of the page warning that links on the page may be affiliate links—which means that reviewer gets a commission every time he sells a bottle.