A Free Public Service

June 24, 2024

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

INTERNATIONAL DRIVERS PERMIT FRAUD

Attribution: US Federal Trade Commission

Are you wondering if you need an international license to drive in a country you’re visiting? Every country has its own rules for visitors who want to drive. In some, like Canada, your U.S. driver’s license is all you need. Other countries require you to get an International Driver’s Permit (IDP). Scammers may try to confuse you with fake IDPs and websites that not only take your money and give you nothing but can also cause you trouble abroad.

An IDP is sometimes known as an international driver’s license. It has your name, photo, and the information in your government issued driver’s license translated into ten different languages. You’ll carry it along with your U.S. driver’s license.

Precautions:

*If you need an IDP, make sure you’re getting the real thing. Scammers create websites to sell fake IDPs or try to sell them to you in person or online for a hefty fee. But they’re just trying to steal your personal information or money. To make things even worse, the fake IDP is worthless and could cause legal problems and delays for you if you’re detained for using it to drive in a foreign country.

*Check the Department of State’s website for rules on visitors planning to drive in each country.

*Know that the American Automobile Association (AAA) is the only official organization authorized by the U.S. Department of State to issue IDPs. An IDP that can be used with your U.S. driver’s license can only be issued in the U.S., so apply before you travel.

*If the country you’re visiting requires an IDP and you have a U.S. driver’s license, apply in person at a AAA Travel office or by mail. Don’t believe a website that says you can apply online. It’s a scam.

*Learn more about avoiding scams when you travel. And report any scams you see to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. #

A Free Public Service

June 24, 2024

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

ADOBE SUBSCRIPTION FRAUD

Attribution: US Federal Trade Commission, ftc.gov

Adobe used hidden fees to trap people into paying for subscription plans, as alleged in a lawsuit by the Federal Trade Commission.

Maybe you want to try out a product for a little while before you make a long-term decision. So, you sign up for a monthly subscription plan. Everything is fine until you want to cancel and it turns out to be a yearly subscription with monthly payments. Surprise! That’s what the FTC says happened to people who signed up for monthly subscriptions with Adobe.

When people signed up on Adobe’s website for access to its software, the FTC says Adobe pre-selected the option for its “annual paid monthly” plan that put subscribers on the hook for a whole year of payments, paid in monthly increments — a fact that Adobe failed to explain or properly disclose. The lawsuit says Adobe used similar tactics when people signed up for a free trial and didn’t cancel before the trial ended. Adobe automatically placed them on the “annual paid monthly” plan without making it clear they were entering a one-year contract.

When people tried to cancel before the year was up, they had to pay a hefty early termination fee (which was hidden during the signup process). The fee, along with other hurdles Adobe uses in its cancellation processes, made it difficult to cancel the subscription. Some subscribers who had contacted customer service even thought they had successfully canceled, only to find out later that Adobe was still charging them.

When you’re thinking about any subscription:

See what others are saying online. Search for the company’s name and the word “subscription” plus words like “complaint,” “problem,” “cancel,” and “fee” to see if people are having trouble with their subscription.

Check the terms and conditions for free trial offers. If the subscription includes auto-renewals, you’ll be charged unless you cancel before the end of the free trial period.

The law says businesses have to give you a simple way to cancel a paid subscription with automatic billing. If you have trouble canceling a subscription service:

Dispute unauthorized credit card charges.

If you’re in a subscription, you’ve tried to cancel, and the company won’t stop charging your account, dispute it with your credit or debit card company.

Tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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A Free Public Service

June 11, 2024

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

VOICEPRINT SCAMS

Attribution: AARP.ORG

Thanks to technological advances, it’s possible for thieves to capture a recording of your voice. They then use a software program to generate an imitation “deepfake” version that can be used to impersonate you.

 That voiceprint can be used for such things as to access your insurance, financial institution or apply for a driver’s license.  

Guard against voiceprint scams:

To prevent your voice from being duplicated, don’t answer the phone. If someone needs to get hold of you, they can text or e-mail you.

Be cautious about answering calls that appear to be from people on your contact list, since the call could be coming from a phone that’s been stolen or had its SIM card cloned.

Voiceprint scams can be reported to www.US FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION.GOV.

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A free Public Service

June 5, 2024

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

Hi, HOW ARE YOU? SCAM

Attribution: US FTC.gov

A text message from an unknown number that simply says: hi, how are you? seems harmless. Your first instinct might be to respond to see if it’s someone you know. Or maybe tell them they made a mistake. But it’s best to ignore these type of text messages. Scammers are using this tactic as a conversation starter, so don’t text back. If you do, here’s what happens next.

The person (a scammer) on the other end of the text will probably apologize…and find a way to keep the conversation going to befriend you. Then, once they have your trust, they’ll try to offer you advice on investing in cryptocurrency or claim they can teach you the secrets to making big money in the crypto markets. For a fee, of course. But it’s all a scam and they’ll just steal your money.

Even if you just reply to the text but don’t engage in conversation, you’ve still confirmed they reached a working telephone number. Which could lead to more calls and texts from scammers.

What’s the best way to avoid scams if you’re getting messages from numbers you don’t recognize?

Don’t reply to text messages from unknown numbers. It could lead to a scam. Delete and report them using your phone’s “report junk” option or forwarding unwanted texts to 7726 (SPAM) and unwanted emails to your email provider.

Never click links in an unexpected message. Some links might steal your information, or install malware that gives scammers access to your device.

Don’t trust anyone who says you can quickly and easily make money. Every investment has risks. Only scammers guarantee you’ll make lots of money in a short time with zero risk.

Have you lost money to a scam like this? Tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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