Let's face it — scams are everywhere. Maybe someone you know has gotten scammed recently. Maybe you got scammed! It's OK, it happens to everyone.
U/MrTenBelow-1 recently asked the people of Reddit, "What's a scam so stupid yet people keep falling for?" Maybe these answers will help you avoid getting scammed yourself — and, if you've already been scammed, maybe they'll help you feel a little less alone:
1. "As a teller manager, I have had a few elderly people who actually believe their grandkids are in jail, and need to take $20,000 out of their accounts in cash in order to bail them out. I literally tell them they are falling for a scam, and to call their grandkids in front of me. Of course, the kid then answers. Their hearts are in the right place, but they need to think before they take large amounts like that — also, if they gave the scammers their personal addresses."
—u/Nouls
2. "Phone scammers saying you can pay an overdue utility bill in Apple gift cards."
—u/AdmiralBofa
3. "Any get rich quick subscription program. The actual get rich scheme is launching a subscription program for a get rich scheme."
—u/Kretuhtuh
4. "Sending people money on dating apps."
5. "Those 'Lose 15 pounds in five days' diets in supermarket tabloids."
6. The IRS NEVER calls you first! By law, they have to contact you through certified mail."
7. "Psychic hotlines."
—u/fonduktoe
8. "There are two scams involving essential oils. First is the MLM (multilevel marketing), where you recruit people to sell overpriced crap to other people. The other is the idea that essential oils are a replacement for health care, people suggesting treating cancer and all sorts with oils instead of medicine."
—u/Ginge00
9. "'I'm calling about your car's extended warranty...'"
—u/WhoaSpoders
10. "My parents spend over $100,000 a year on bullshit timeshares. They treat that shit like an investment, and they always tell me and my siblings, 'You get to inherit it when we die! It is a good deal!' Like, no...none of us want that garbage. The fees and 'cleaning' charges and crap cost more than a normal vacation, and EVERY resort in the timeshare looks exactly the same. What is even the point?"
11. "Buying a 'rich' influencer's course on drop-shipping, crypto, etc. You're paying a couple hundred dollars for something you can learn from YouTube or self-learning."
12. "People sell sports betting picks. Hint: They aren’t making money off their picks. They’re making money off selling them to you."
13. "Scientology."
14. "'Hey, what if I told you that you could get paid to travel and have incredible healthcare?'"
—u/tway_010
15. "Life coaches."
–u/likeddit
16. "The 'self-made' stories of the wealthiest people."
—u/SD_Freshman
17. "My coworker who was widowed three years ago met a man online and has been speaking with him for over a year. He says he has an apartment in an upscale neighborhood of the nearby city. They haven't met in person yet because he is building a bridge in Dubai. He was going to come home for Christmas, but the flights were very expensive. I am 95% sure this is a romance scam."
18. "My parents used to waste at least $50 a week on tickets. Even when we were behind on bills, couldn't afford groceries, and getting sued. They cared more about buying fucking lottery tickets than feeding their children and keeping the water running. They would say that they were entitled to win because they were religious and would use the money for good. I don't talk to them much anymore, so I'm not sure if they still buy tickets obsessively, but they most likely do."
19. "The NFT is the answer to the question of how to get people to give you money for absolutely no reason."
—u/WhoaSpoders
20. "Health insurance."
—u/Jermcutsiron
Agree? Disagree? Have your own additions? See you in the comments!
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.