by Alvaro Puig, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

Ahh, summer. Ten sweet yet short weeks to enjoy some of your favorite traditions. Maybe it’s sipping an ice-cold drink on the porch, spending a weekend at the beach, or cooling off with the kids at the pool. Now that you think about it, you might decide to treat yourself to a new porch swing or a new beach umbrella. Or suddenly realize that you need to buy more goggles because the kids lost theirs…again. Before you start filling up your online shopping cart, we’ve got some tips you’ll want to check out (no pun intended!).

SUMMER SHOPPING ONLINE

July 2021

Do some comparison-shopping. Before you buy online, use the power of the internet to compare prices on different websites. We’ve got tips about using comparison-shopping sites.

Think critically about online reviews. Reading other people’s opinions about a product can help you make a decision. But some reviews are downright fake or not completely honest. You may not know when a reviewer got something — like a free product — in exchange for the review. Learn more about how to evaluate online reviews.

Pay attention to the details. Before you buy something online, know when it’ll ship and what to do if you want to return it. Read up on delivery, return, and refund policies.

Pay with a credit card if you can. That way, if you get billed twice for the same item, or you get billed for something you never got, you can dispute it. Learn more about the benefits of paying with a credit card.

Find out what personal information shopping apps collect. Shopping apps might give you exclusive deals or rewards points. But they might also take your personal information, like your name, phone number, and email. And they might use your device’s location. Here’s what to know if you’re using a shopping app.

by Emily Wu, Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC

The weather is getting warmer, and you might be itching to travel again. The mountains, the beach, and the trails are calling you — and everyone else. At least that’s what it feels like when you start looking into renting a car. With rental car availability at an all-time low, prices are sky high. So, if you suddenly find an available car at a cheap price, you might be dealing with scammers looking to cash in on the rental car shortage.

Scammers are posing as rental car companies, setting up their own websites, and advertising fake customer service phone numbers, all to convince travelers they’re legit. Then, they’re asking people to pre-pay for the rental — with a gift card or prepaid debit card. To avoid rental car scammers driving off with your money:

• Research the rental car company by searching for the name of the company and words like “scam,” “complaint,” or “review” to check if other people have had a bad experience.

• Verify deals with the company directly. If you need customer support, look for contact info on the company’s official website. Don’t use a search engine result. Scammers can pay to place sponsored ads in search results, so they show up at the top or in the sponsored ad section.

• Pay with a credit card if possible, and never pay with a gift card or prepaid debit card. You can dispute credit card charges, but gift cards and prepaid debit cards can disappear like cash. Once you give the number and PIN to a scammer, the money is gone.

Before you rush to book that miraculously available rental car, take a beat and read up about things you should consider when renting a car.

RENTAL CAR SCAMS

by Lisa Lake, Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

Instead of telling you a ghost story around a summer campfire, we have an all-too familiar tale to share: Myra’s grandson, Jon, is in Mexico for the summer. They video chat every week. One day, Myra gets a call from someone who says he’s Max, a friend of Jon’s: “He was arrested last night and needs $500 for bail.” Max says the police took Jon’s passport, so he’ll need another $700 to get it back. He says not to tell Jon’s parents or anyone else because Jon is embarrassed.

Myra is scared at first — but she’s heard a thing or two that makes her suspicious. So she thanks “Max” for his concern, hangs up, and calls Jon right away. Jon, it turns out, is on his way to class, not in jail. And “Max” is nothing but a scammer.

Family emergency scams like this try to scare people into sending money to help a loved one in trouble. The fraud can play out in many ways, but the hustle is the same: the caller lies, tries to scare you, and rushes you to pay so you don’t have time to think twice or check things out before you send money. And once you do that, you’ll never get it back.

To avoid family emergency scams:

• Resist the urge to act immediately — no matter how dramatic the story is.

• Call or message your loved one who (supposedly) contacted you. Even though the caller says not to. But use a number you know is right, not one the caller gives you.

• Never send cash, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or money transfers. Once the scammer gets the money, it’s gone!

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is the state’s clearinghouse for consumer complaints, protection, and information. Contact the department’s consumer protection and information hotline by calling 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or, for Spanish speakers, 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832). File a complaint or find more information on scams online at FloridaConsumerHelp.com.

FAMILY EMERGENCY SCAMS

Does your organization need a guest speaker for its next event or meeting?

The Consumer Services outreach team is available to share information on scams and frauds that bilk people out of millions of dollars annually. At your next event or meeting, let one of our representatives educate your group on the latest consumer issues. We’re here for you and we’re FREE.

We believe that an educated consumer is the best protection against fraud and deception. Visit our Consumer Protection Speaker Request page for more information and to request that a consumer protection representative present at your next virtual or in-person meeting.

Information submitted to the department is a public record unless exempted by Florida law. You may also contact our consumer assistance team at 1-800-HELP-FLA (1-800-435-7352), 1-800-FL-AYUDA (1-800-352-9832) en Español, or by sending correspondence to: Consumer Services Outreach, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 2005 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee, FL 32399.

CONSUMER PROTECTION SPEAKER REQUEST

This summer remember the most important grill master tool of all—a food thermometer! Ensure a safe and healthy BBQ for your friends and family by cooking foods thoroughly to their safe temperatures.

Visit the Division of Food Safety’s new Consumer Resources and Outreach website to learn safe internal temperatures, grill safety, and more!

CELEBRATE NATIONAL GRILLING MONTH BY STAYING FOOD SAFE

FDACS-P-00030 Rev. 7/2021

The Division of Food Safety monitors food from the point of manufacturing and distribution through wholesale and retail sales to ensure the public of safe, wholesome and

properly represented food products. CLICK THE ICON ABOVE TO SEE THE LATEST RECALLS,

MARKET WITHDRAWALS, & SAFETY ALERTS.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission provides consumer product recall information as part of the

agency’s mission to protect consumers and families from hazardous products.

CLICK THE ICON ABOVE TO SEE THE LATEST RECALLS, MARKET WITHDRAWALS, & SAFETY ALERTS.

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The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is the state’s clearinghouse for consumer complaints, protection and information. Consumers who would like information about filing a complaint against a business or who believe fraud has taken place can visit us online at FloridaConsumerHelp.com or contact the department’s consumer protection and information hotline by calling 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832) for Spanish speakers.

FDACS is Florida’s state consumer protection agency responsible for regulating charities and handling consumer complaints. FDACS handles more than 400,000 consumer complaints and inquiries, oversees more than 500,000 regulated devices, entities, and products like gas pumps and grocery scales, performs over 61,000 lab analyses on products like gasoline and brake flu-id, performs nearly 9,000 fair ride inspections, and returned over $2.8 million to consumers through mediations with businesses.

ABOUT THE FDACS DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES