With Special Guest, Criminologist, Dr. Judy Christman Yates
In this episode, Dr Christman Yates points out dark patterns in advertisements that are psychologically deceptive, specifically designed to induce false beliefs. They often get us us to purchase more than we want or misunderstand what we’re getting.
Here are common tricks that are used:
1. We’re told that the product or service is only availble for a limited period
of time.
2. The ads look like editorials, giving them unwarranted credibility. (Watch
for buzz words such as News, Educational, Journal, etc.
3. The ads use logos from reputable organizations such as the Food &
Drug Administration. (If you look closely, you may see a disclaimer in
miniscule letters saying that they are not a part of the organization
depicted in the logo.)
4. Additional fees and charges are often added very late in the buying
process. They may add on high shipping fees, and/or ‘convenience
fees.’
TIPS:
– If you’re offered a free trial and are then required to provide a credit or
debit card, don’t trust it!
– Use trusted websites. Look closely at the site’s url.
– Avoid clicking on pop ups.
– Don’t believe pop ups, texts or emails that tell you that you’ve won
something. It’s likely a scam to get your personal information.
– Read the fine print when considering a purchase.
– Pay with a credit card. (You’ll be more likely to recover the money if it’s a
scam.)
– Be sure to review your credit card statements every month for
unauthorized charges! (If too much time has passed, it’s unlikely your
bank will refund the charges.)
– Report suspicious websites and online companies to ic3.gov
At the end of this podcast, Vicki shares some good news! Here’s a teaser. Have you noticed that you aren’t getting the dreaded phone calls about renewing your extended auto warranty? Find out why!
If you’d like to speak to Deputy District Attorney Vicki Johnson to report a scam or tell your story on SCAM SQUAD, call the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s FRAUD HOTLINE at 805-568-2442.
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