You neglected to mention the "countdown" timer that appears on screen, when selecting free gift. It is there to rush the victim, but when it reaches ZERO, it starts over again. All part of the scam.
@@Ban00 no actually anyone who uses a fake countdown timer is scamming. Even if everything else is legitimate. I would never purchase an item from a shop that uses a fake countdown timer for a sale. Any reputable source would not do it. They're not "digital marketers"
Thank you for this. I work in fraud prevention and there are SO many people that fall for these scams. Enough that its almost a standard question I ask.
They even say press #1 to cancel an order or they say it's a suspicious order n then ask for your information. I called n got the address on the Amazon account they used . It was in new York ...
I got an offer for a "free" laptop. I was curious about it, but thought it might be a scam. I have a phony name and address to send it to. Then I had to "qualify" by answering 3 survey questions. 10 questions later they informed me my free laptop had a 29.95 shipping charge and was I going to use a major credit card or my paypal account. That was when I closed the tab with the offer of a free laptop. It was an obvious scam.
It's crazy how you take the survey and nothing else is mentioned about the $100 gift card you were offered in the beginning, they just switch to offering you some cheap and poorly made "free gifts" that you actually have to pay for
That they are initially presenting themselves as Costco, and doing so for financial gain makes this a scam. Great video. Thanks for being so thorough, so we don't have to :)
I receive several suspect E-mails per day. I just delete them. I suggest that others do the same. Thanks Ben. You play a vital role in protecting others from scammers.
Most definitely a scam. This is a hidden subscription service. They're nearly impossible to get out of. Just because they offer you something in return is irrelevant. They deceived you into signing up for something you didnt know about.
This was one of the most common scams I dealt with at a credit card company, most of the calls I dealt with were people thinking they were getting iPhones and other devices just for the price of delivery, they would then be charged £50 monthly until it was flagged or they realised.
You plugged the watch into the USB upside down, it does actually work... my GF got hit with this and they tried to charge her 113.00$ - the bank didn't release the funds. I think we got lucky, because she only authorized 5.00$ which is about what the watch is worth.
@@PleasantGreen It’s crap, only tells time in military, claims to test blood pressure but I can’t see how that’s possibly accurate. It has some very clunky features on the app like activating your cell phone camera. It claims to monitor your sleep but doesn’t relay anything. Basically it’s a watch that confuses people who aren’t used to military time.
I remember my dad taking this survey a few months ago. He took the survey and after your click next, it will ask some personal information and that is when he grew suspicious. I look at the email address and notice it wasn’t from Costco. Luckily he didn’t click submit and I think we didn’t get any personal information stolen.
It's a scam. I dont think it's even legal to wrap someone into a term where you pay like that. Remember most terms and service aren't binding on websites like that. Click wrap agreements and just general agreements sitting there often fail on court. Which means they are probably out of the country.
Or gambling that most of the people they scam can't afford to take them to court over it. I've seen people challenge unexpected subscription fees as fraud on their credit cards and the credit card company investigates, gets shown in the ToS that the person "agreed" to it, and then puts the charge right back on the card again.
I wrote a comment about this sort of thing, tl;dr legal is what is enforced. You call the police about this? Most you'll get is a laugh in the face. They haven't investigated real crime in decades. Small claims court? Who are you sueing? LOL
Just once, I'd like someone to actually track down the people that run one of these operations and expose them for the scumbags that they are. Not the phone operators, who are probably doing it out of necessity, but the people at the top. And by "expose them", I mean something far worse.
@@BoiseFreerunner The people who actually run the scam operations are nearly always situated in Nigeria, India, or some other country where they are basically untouchable. Bringing arrests to the "foot soldiers" is commendable, but it's small potatoes. It's like arresting a drug dealer versus arresting the kingpin.
My parents just last weekend fell for this exact scam (I'd say it is a scam for sure) and I had to break it to them, then sent them your video. Hopefully they'll be more careful in the future.
I work in the fraud department at a bank. This is such a common scam I see very frequently. The sad thing is it is hard to dispute. It's not considered fraud as you give them the information and agree to their terms of service. It's just really sad. As you can guess the majority of people who call about this are older.
@@jcrowley1985 No Fraud is when someone else uses your card. Now this information is for debit cards and regulation E. If your giving card information out better off using a credit card. They have more fraud protection then a debit card does.
@@3D-Tactical15 People don't like hearing this, but you're right. (People just like to shit on banks because bAnKeRs ArE eViL or something like that.) If someone willingly gave out their credit card or debit card information to a shady website, that's not the bank's fault. The bank can't be expected to reimburse customers for something that the bank isn't responsible for. People should take responsibility for their own actions and learn how to identify scams instead of demanding that other people fix their problems for them.
My spouse accidently fell for this, it was a text saying it was a "free" smartwatch from verizon. Same deal, pay for shipping. Got the same watch. Fortunately by that point we had cancelled her card so we didn't get dinged. BTW you had plugged in the watch backwards at least in your video. But you are not missing much. Crap quality, fake "heart rate" sensor that consists of two LEDs that magically pick up your O2 and heart rate even if its sitting on the desk.
Reminds me of the 90s/early 00's when you'd see ads in magazines that would say 12.00 dollars for 12 CDS. They would be new albums but they'd hook you on the monthly subscription in the fine print.
I received an email from my credit union requesting I fill out a survey. It sounded suspicious so I called the credit union and they confirmed it was a fake email. Don't be afraid to call the companies you do business with directly about suspicious emails. It might just save you some money and headaches down the road.
you sir have some dedication to go down this kind of rabbit hole! haha i love man. Good thing you're using privacy, I can't imagine having my cards charged monthly for this junk
I’m glad someone is able to do the legwork. I hesitate all the time with any of these take a survey emails. If they are not in my spam folder they get sent there. Thank you for all your hard work
Ben Thank you, as always, for the scam-busting episode! I always find these interesting… Also, the watch does actually charge by plugging it directly into a USB plug-in. I’ve had watches like this, and I believe that you had the watch upside-down in the charging brick. I’m interested to know whether or not the watch is really worth much of anything. If you still have the watch (and if you see this comment) could you try and charge the watch by flipping it over in the charging brick and see if the watch works at all? I’m intrigued to know!
Great video! I have filled in a few of these surveys, but as soon as I get asked for money I close it down. Still, this is good stuff to know; there are many of us who might end up in these situations, including me; so many thanks! And I heartily agree with the comment below, that this channel is great for jumping on new scams as they appear. Thank you for all your good work.
As a general rule, if you're offered something for free, but they need your credit card # for any reason (generally for shipping and handling or to prove you're over 18 are the excuses given), be very wary. I used to do customer service for a credit card company and people getting unexpected charges due to subscriptions they never knowingly signed up for was a very common problem. The worst part was when reported as fraud, they didn't always get their money back since the bank contacts the company, is given some sort of "proof" that it was authorized, and then puts the charge right back on the card again...and adding insult to injury, some of these companies were able to keep charging people's cards even after the card info had gotten changed due to the fraud report.
The world needs more people like you who exposes scam like this. Funny also how cops don't do anything to stops those scammer (especially when they operate in the USA). But don't you dare to forgot to report your last $10 sale to the IRS though, or you can go to jail. O_o
I moved to ghana a few years ago, and I go to nigeria quite often. I ran into some scammers pretty quickly. I was amazed to see the other side of the scammer world. I would love to do some colaboration work with you and show what actually goes on at the other end
i have been seeing these for YEARS. THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THEM!!!! i have never understood what the point of these fake survey websites were but it makes total sense now
Clearly a scam. Thanks for bringing it to your viewers attention. I have clicked on these types of ads on You Tube, one around Christmas that I kept seeing was for a "free" tactical backpack - just pay S/H. But a little bit of homework disabused me of that notion.
Hi Ben, LOL, Have to say I love your videos and the way you present them. Keep them coming. I have watched a lot of "Scam" videos and I like yours the best by far.
DUDE I FELL FOR THIS!! igot this same survey that looked sorta legit and so sneaky looked JUST LIKE THIS. i ended up paying 5.95 and 9.95 for shipping for 2 items. a flashlight and a friggin dash cam. they were zupposedly "gifts". anyways 2 weeks later i get charged like 109$ and 89$ for the 2 items. i called up the biz that charged my card and they say i signed up for a trial price. i immediately got and RMA # and mailed both items back. funny part is the items were so cheesy they were still on my counter i had no desire to use either
I have been getting emails like these but I have been marking and reporting them in as spam... Great video... Keep up the great job PG... Love what you do...
Hello Ben, I really enjoy your videos! When you connected the watch to the usb wall charger try flipping it around the other way so the contacts touch the USB port. I’ve had these cheapo watches and they seem to be weird with the way that they charge. Great video!
I got something like this before, I did a survey to get a free item. But, instead I got a catalog sent to me to get items at a good discount along with monthly fees, I told them I'm not interested. I had to call the 800# to cancel, a recording stated I needed to provide my social security number in order to cancel out. I just hung up the phone☎️🤬
hi Ben :-) Since you asked about similar experiences, I have a story for you. This happened many years ago. I ordered a Samsung galaxy watch from a ad that came while I was playing a game on my mobile. the Ad was impressive and the watch, that was portrayed, was really nice. The price was USD 49.00. I took a chance and ordered one. As you guessed, it WAS a knock off and did not even work properly. As I had paid via PayPal, I was granted a refund, so I did not lose any money. Thank you for all that you do. regards and blessings. Andrew.
Those are chain emails that used to pay real money if you're able to complete the chain. The catch was you needed to "complete" offers just by clicking on links or opening new tabs with those links. That was ten years ago, now they're just a scam to get your information. The company that used to pay was overrun by scammers so it now pays in tokens for games.
Scams like this have been going on for at least 5 years (how long ive been dealing with it in a csr role within a bank) if there is ever anything that says "just pay shipping" its this. Facebook was rampant with them for awhile. The worst part of it is when you file a clam there is nothing the bank can do because they have documentation saying you approved it so they cant get your money back.
I’ve decided to do a marathon and it’s INSANE how much better your newer videos are (mostly due to them not being only 2 minutes long) but you hold true. Seeing you first realize the struggles in 3rd world countries is weirdly satisfying. Not because I have some racist tension but because WE ALL who live in America take for granted some simple thing like going to western union. We don’t realize the real trouble that 3rd world citizens have to go through just to receive $14. Don’t forget what you’ve learned Ben Dover (I know that’s not your name) continue to grow and as you grow, remember to inform your audience that these people are not scamming because they are desperately evil but because for them, it’s that or rob and steel in person or murder, or humbly eat mud pies. Remind your audience directly that we have it good. That we could find daily prepared food in almost every dumpster if it came down to it. That water is so free we flush it. Remind them like you reminded me. A black man in America.
Good points. Yet, many scammers in Africa, India, don't do it out of desperation, but because it's easy money, and they can live well.. Romance scammers, Tech support, etc etc. Who knows, maybe they started when desperate, but continued because money was good! They fail to look at the devastation they create, esp since some victims literally become homeless or commit suicide! It's daylight Robbery, actually, just by using other methods to deceive!
It would be interesting to give the watch to some tech person to open up and analyze. Maybe there's a secret message or some additional Terms & Conditions inside.
Could you do a video on the Publishers Clearing House scam. My great Uncle got his identity stolen by one just this week. I fear it's being done on a larger scale to elderly people as more people have gotten the same call. It appears very elaborate.
I have a scam for you! Someone has pretended to hire my mother in law and she was so excited for the job and it’s really a fake check scam. My mother in law feels defeated and crushed this was fake. She was told she could be sued for leaving the job without a 30 day notice. This scammer has wasted her time and emotional bandwidth. Where can I report the scam?
Hey, I'm sorry to hear about what happened to your mother in law. If it's not a legal work contract she has no reason to be afraid. You can try contacting the police to be sure, but I don't think there's much they can do due to how these scams operate. Good luck and stay safe
Thanks for all your excellent investigative work and providing this great service. Ironically, you’re in Utah which is a breeding ground for sketchy MLM’s and GRQ’s (get rich quick) schemes. Maybe it’s not ironic as living in Utah may have made you extra aware. I got scammed by a famous Utah company when I sold blenders in Costco for them. Here’s a suggestion: I think I’d be a good idea to highlight your Utah connection by saying… Utah is famous for volunteer missionaries and my mission is to help protect you and your family from all kinds of scams. We can all give back and make the world a better place so, this is what I do. Thanks for watching! >>Thanks again for doing this. I served in Belgium in 83-84. Lorne Holman in Calgary Alberta Canada 🇨🇦
My dad told me he won an iPhone. Then he paid 7 dollars for the shipping. Told him it was a scam. Then he told me to won a 2nd one. I am sure he paid for that one also. Never heard anything else after that. Sure we will be calling his credit card company to report a scam. The internet is scary place if you don't think everything is a scam.
While I haven't gotten any emails like this, it doesn't hurt to be aware of what's out there. It also doesn't mean I won't get any in the future. Thanks for sharing!
Hi, Great video. You forgot to blur out your P.O. Box in many places including right on the actual P.O. Box (right on the door), and when you flip the packaging out and flip it around it shows up there also.
I used to work in the fraud & disputes department of a major credit card company. 75% of my calls were from people who fell for these types of scams/trial offers/. We had to explain that technically they WERE liable, as they DID accept the offer (thus, accepting all terms & conditions) and giving out you card number freely and knowingly does NOT constitute “fraud”. And, we could NOT block merchants or We even had to explain that by cancelling the credit card number wouldn’t help, as because they accepted terms & conditions for monthly subscription, said merchant could continue to charge the account. But we helped them regardless. There was a great satisfaction when I could get the “customer support “ agent to provide a refund & cancellation number on the spot. At one time we could call said merchant and fight on the customer’s behalf). Other times we had to file a dispute and send a chargeback to the merchant. We had to be. careful & precise in our wording on the dispute form. Usually “knockoff” product or defective/poorly made goods, as well as stating the fact that the offer terms were often not easy for the customer to locate. Most times the chargeback worked, but still the “customer’s responsibility” to have the recurring charges/membership cancelled. Oh what fun. Most of these calls were from older folk and hence, easily duped. I could go on and on with my experiences working for this credit card company. Hope my post can help educate as your videos always do.
I used to work for a company that shipped out supplement products (not realizing it was a scam) until we started opening letters addressed to us asking us to stop charging their cards. We never did and just threw the letters out. I’m sure they were getting their customers this way. Eventually I quit but people were getting charged sometimes up to $100 per bottle of pills. There were at least 6 different brands, prices, ingredients list, labels, however all used the same generic white pill bottles and whatever pills were pre-sealed inside. There were thousands of orders each month. Doing major numbers. The owners had a private jet they used to land and fly out of the air park across the street from the shop.
I love this TH-cam video, very valuable information. I've learned a lot about scams and what to look out for to avoid these. Keep up the good work, Ben! Kimberli Allen, SC
I never bite on online offers. If I need something I go to a store and buy it. I rather pay 100 dollars at a store than online which might come to 90 dollars after shipping.
When i was little i fell for this exact scam, it was a necklace or something like that, but it was a link via facebook. i had no idea until i was charged a "subscription fee." I remember calling "customer support" and they explained it to me, i got into a long argument with them that i never agreed to a subscription or membership and i wanted my money back. After a little while they caved and sent me my money back.
Feels like a scam, sounds like a scam. At the very least it's a bait and switch operation using deceptive marketing in the extreme. More likely the "subscription service" you automatically get signed up for (is that even legal in the US? It isn't where I live) doesn't even exist and they just charge your card a small amount at semi-regular intervals using different names each time until you take notice (which for most people will take months if they ever notice because it gets overlooked in between all the other small charges) and never send you anything.
Worst scam I fell for was on NewEgg. I bought a cheap knock off flight stick under the brand of PXN, they’re legit and make decent stuff for a cheap cost. At the time I couldn’t afford a expensive new flight stick, as my old Satiek bit the dust. So, a NewEgg seller had the PXN flight stick and throttle for 70$. Pretty good for that price at the time, but not low enough to raise any eyebrows. Seller had “organic” reviews, and 97.5%. I was like “hey, seems legit.” I bought it, they sent out my flight stick and sent me a “shipping number.” Week later they changed my order “they already shipped out” to a racing wheel you can get off wish for 5$ or Amazon for like 20$. Claimed that I ordered a racing wheel. “Good” thing I had the way back machine and the former order receipt and basically shown customer support that these fucks were frauds. Guess what? NewEgg didn’t give a shit, and the seller didn’t either. Never got a refund. The only scam I fell for. Deep down I knew better, yet I persisted.
Just found your channel interesting I couldn't tell you how many scams I have received ..I'm watching your video and I'm from Ohio to find out that the zip code is exactly the small town I live it . Wow thank you for exposing these scams .
I would have liked to know if they offered a way to cancel the "subscription service", or if anyone who falls victim to this just has to get a new card and close out the old one.
Great video 👍🏻. I get emails, like this one, frequently. I don’t even bother checking their fake email addresses anymore. I just hit “ delete”. It was interesting to find out what would actually happen if someone fell for this scam. Thanks, Pleasant Green, for letting us know how these emails work.
I have a watch like that one, you have to plug it into a computer USB to charge it. You then control it from your phone. It's real stupid. I got mine from Walmart for $20 just because I wanted something to track my steps without having to have my phone on me at all times. Good job exposing another scam. I get surveys in my junk email all the time. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.
Literally the same thing happened to me but I dint do any surveys , it was for a pocket knife and it came with a flash light multi tool, it totaled to 10 dollars and a week or 2 later my bank sends me a email saying this company tried to charge me and if it wasn’t me to file it as fraudulent and get a new card number , thankfully my bank stopped it and I called them asking why they tried to charge me 54 dollars and they said I agreed to a subscription , I was lowkey mad but thank god I was not charged
My credit card got burned on a similar situation. I can’t remember doing the survey myself but I am guessing that someone I know filled out a survey and clicked to pay $1.95 for shipping on a chance to win or receive a prize. Nothing at all ever arrived. Instead I got charged $99.95 and another charge for $1.95 confusing. I called the phone number on the credit card statement and was told there were no refunds because of a similar savings club sign up fee but that I could cancel my membership in the savings club. I guess that was an expensive lesson in reading the fine print. And the website has a statement that if you try to file to rescind the charges they will sue you. I was also told that the company running the web site representing has so many clients they all basically operate the same. I will tell everyone to be real careful filling out surveys as it’s not worth it.
I totally have not wanted to click on any of the 100 or so similar emails I've received like this. I was wondering what they were about but I was NOT about to click on one. Thank you, Pleasant Green for the info as I really wanted to know what the hussle was.
It did happened to me 4 years ago. And as a thanks for the Survey I choose a anti wrinkle cream for $4.95 s/h. Then 3 weeks later they charged my bank $99. I to missed the very small print on the bottom. I canceled my bank card. And did called the company, and they were extremely crude to me. So now I try to be extremely careful.
Ohhhh Ben Dover..you've done it again. I always get a good chuckle when I hear your name 😅. I wonder if the sellers ever pick up on it??? Do you have any suggestions for burner card sites outside the u.s? I tried to use the one you mentioned but it won't accept use in Australia. I'd love to use one for trial subscriptions? Thank you for another brilliant video. I got stuck in a rolling 'subscription ' once...easiest way to deal with it is contact your credit card provider and get them to block payments. Hope that helps someone out there!
It is one of the oldest tricks in the book, I’m sure some do catch it but they probably think you just put a fake name for privacy reasons. Btw, there is a famous adult actor named Ben Dover
![[Live สด] การออกรางวัลสลากกินแบ่งรัฐบาล งวดวันที่ 16 ธันวาคม 2567](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dNTiBBthKgQ/mqdefault.jpg)
You neglected to mention the "countdown" timer that appears on screen, when selecting free gift. It is there to rush the victim, but when it reaches ZERO, it starts over again. All part of the scam.
Or the timer goes negative! LOL
Lol all digital marketers use this urgency technique to sell info products
@@Ban00 no actually anyone who uses a fake countdown timer is scamming. Even if everything else is legitimate. I would never purchase an item from a shop that uses a fake countdown timer for a sale. Any reputable source would not do it. They're not "digital marketers"
if you refresh the page the timer will restart.
Same as with airline tickets and hotel rooms. "Only 2 left at this price!". Yeah whatever!
Thank you for this. I work in fraud prevention and there are SO many people that fall for these scams. Enough that its almost a standard question I ask.
They even say press #1 to cancel an order or they say it's a suspicious order n then ask for your information. I called n got the address on the Amazon account they used . It was in new York ...
those people are dumb dumb
I got an offer for a "free" laptop. I was curious about it, but thought it might be a scam. I have a phony name and address to send it to. Then I had to "qualify" by answering 3 survey questions. 10 questions later they informed me my free laptop had a 29.95 shipping charge and was I going to use a major credit card or my paypal account. That was when I closed the tab with the offer of a free laptop. It was an obvious scam.
The one thing about this channel is that you expose new scams QUICKLY and it is recognized and appreciated 😀
Thank you!
To be fair if you need a video to notice a scam you probably shouldn't be using a computer
@@some_haqr I agree. I am referring to the effort more so than the need.
@@some_haqr you do know not everyone is a computer addict like you?
@@MrSimplified 🤷
It's absolutely a scam. Misrepresenting yourself, even if they give you something,.makes them scammers.
If it's shady and taking advantage of people, then it's scam. Great video! Keep up the good work.
Not really. Another example of shady behavior is pyramid scheme like Amway. It’s still legal unfortunately.
pleb
Agreed
@@vishalp5586 It may be legal, but it is still a scam. Yes, it is called something else, but I think we can all agree pyramid schemes are also scams.
@@vishalp5586 i call it a scam
Ok turns out you have to flip the watch around to charge it. It still sucks!
Can we still get a review? Curious if it’s touch screen or what it can do
@@Seth_Arvila He just gave the review......it sucks lol
Please stop with the extra advertising as people get enough from TH-cam as it is.
It's crazy how you take the survey and nothing else is mentioned about the $100 gift card you were offered in the beginning, they just switch to offering you some cheap and poorly made "free gifts" that you actually have to pay for
@@Leo-Lion He's allowed to make more money lol
My general rule is: "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is." There's always a catch.
That they are initially presenting themselves as Costco, and doing so for financial gain makes this a scam. Great video. Thanks for being so thorough, so we don't have to :)
I receive several suspect E-mails per day. I just delete them. I suggest that others do the same. Thanks Ben. You play a vital role in protecting others from scammers.
Elizabeth Grogan
I do the exact same thing, just delete them. Potential problem solved.
Good1
I'm surprised you even see them, gmail puts them directly in spam, all of them.
Also block the sender, that way if they send more, you shuld have no worries.
need to report, block , delete. finished
Most definitely a scam. This is a hidden subscription service. They're nearly impossible to get out of. Just because they offer you something in return is irrelevant. They deceived you into signing up for something you didnt know about.
The fact they have to pretend to be from Costco already reveals a hidden agenda. Scam scam scam
Definately illegal in oz.
This was one of the most common scams I dealt with at a credit card company, most of the calls I dealt with were people thinking they were getting iPhones and other devices just for the price of delivery, they would then be charged £50 monthly until it was flagged or they realised.
You plugged the watch into the USB upside down, it does actually work... my GF got hit with this and they tried to charge her 113.00$ - the bank didn't release the funds. I think we got lucky, because she only authorized 5.00$ which is about what the watch is worth.
I thought I tried that🤦🏻♂️ how did she like the watch?
@@PleasantGreen It’s crap, only tells time in military, claims to test blood pressure but I can’t see how that’s possibly accurate. It has some very clunky features on the app like activating your cell phone camera. It claims to monitor your sleep but doesn’t relay anything. Basically it’s a watch that confuses people who aren’t used to military time.
@@PleasantGreen Also I just found you recently, I do really enjoy your content. 👍
@@guarami1 good to know!
@@guarami1 What's "military time"?
I remember my dad taking this survey a few months ago. He took the survey and after your click next, it will ask some personal information and that is when he grew suspicious. I look at the email address and notice it wasn’t from Costco. Luckily he didn’t click submit and I think we didn’t get any personal information stolen.
I’m pretty sure that’s what they really want
It's a scam. I dont think it's even legal to wrap someone into a term where you pay like that. Remember most terms and service aren't binding on websites like that. Click wrap agreements and just general agreements sitting there often fail on court. Which means they are probably out of the country.
Or gambling that most of the people they scam can't afford to take them to court over it. I've seen people challenge unexpected subscription fees as fraud on their credit cards and the credit card company investigates, gets shown in the ToS that the person "agreed" to it, and then puts the charge right back on the card again.
I wrote a comment about this sort of thing, tl;dr legal is what is enforced. You call the police about this? Most you'll get is a laugh in the face. They haven't investigated real crime in decades. Small claims court? Who are you sueing? LOL
But most people can’t afford the legal fees to contest it. That’s why most people just write it off to a hard lesson.
Just once, I'd like someone to actually track down the people that run one of these operations and expose them for the scumbags that they are. Not the phone operators, who are probably doing it out of necessity, but the people at the top. And by "expose them", I mean something far worse.
i think jim browning has some of what you're looking for
Sadly, tracking tags are expensive to get, and the methods I can come up with to use the postal service break us laws
@@JamesTDG aren't they also breaking the law?
Jim Browning and Mark Rober have been working with law enforcement in tracking and arresting scammers. Fun videos!
@@BoiseFreerunner The people who actually run the scam operations are nearly always situated in Nigeria, India, or some other country where they are basically untouchable. Bringing arrests to the "foot soldiers" is commendable, but it's small potatoes. It's like arresting a drug dealer versus arresting the kingpin.
My parents just last weekend fell for this exact scam (I'd say it is a scam for sure) and I had to break it to them, then sent them your video. Hopefully they'll be more careful in the future.
I work in the fraud department at a bank. This is such a common scam I see very frequently. The sad thing is it is hard to dispute. It's not considered fraud as you give them the information and agree to their terms of service. It's just really sad. As you can guess the majority of people who call about this are older.
In this example wouldn't them claiming to be someone they're not (Costco ) to gain your trust be fraud?
@@jcrowley1985 No Fraud is when someone else uses your card. Now this information is for debit cards and regulation E. If your giving card information out better off using a credit card. They have more fraud protection then a debit card does.
If you gave your card information out you were scammed. That is not the banks fault and they are not required to give you your money back essentially.
@@3D-Tactical15 People don't like hearing this, but you're right. (People just like to shit on banks because bAnKeRs ArE eViL or something like that.) If someone willingly gave out their credit card or debit card information to a shady website, that's not the bank's fault. The bank can't be expected to reimburse customers for something that the bank isn't responsible for. People should take responsibility for their own actions and learn how to identify scams instead of demanding that other people fix their problems for them.
@@AidenRKrone Thats why ben is educating people. Duh.
My spouse accidently fell for this, it was a text saying it was a "free" smartwatch from verizon. Same deal, pay for shipping. Got the same watch. Fortunately by that point we had cancelled her card so we didn't get dinged. BTW you had plugged in the watch backwards at least in your video. But you are not missing much. Crap quality, fake "heart rate" sensor that consists of two LEDs that magically pick up your O2 and heart rate even if its sitting on the desk.
Reminds me of the 90s/early 00's when you'd see ads in magazines that would say 12.00 dollars for 12 CDS. They would be new albums but they'd hook you on the monthly subscription in the fine print.
True, but at least you will get legit CD's! And you can cancel!
I love how you’re very slick with these companies with the burner card. That is such a useful thing
I received an email from my credit union requesting I fill out a survey. It sounded suspicious so I called the credit union and they confirmed it was a fake email. Don't be afraid to call the companies you do business with directly about suspicious emails. It might just save you some money and headaches down the road.
I've always been afraid to click on anything in those emails.
now you know!
Are you Bob Eubanks son?
Well rule number one on internet, Click on absolutely no link , And under no circumstances i click even from friends.
@@MyassesDragon I am not.
@@ACuteKitty fb accounts get hacked so much !! And Snapchat and Instagram has millions of fake accounts 😖
Remember, READ each and everything in the terms and conditions (that is, if you can find them!)
Great video ben keep up the great work. I love what you do. I started busting discord scammers. Be safe.
you sir have some dedication to go down this kind of rabbit hole! haha i love man. Good thing you're using privacy, I can't imagine having my cards charged monthly for this junk
Can't wait to protect myself against those pesky scams!
New vid yay!
Hey Pleasant Green. We quite enjoy your videos exposing scams and scammers. Keep them coming!
I just love this channel. Always exposing stuff that I want to see uncovered. Thank you, Ben Dover!
I’m glad someone is able to do the legwork. I hesitate all the time with any of these take a survey emails. If they are not in my spam folder they get sent there. Thank you for all your hard work
I'd like to see you cover the scam ads that appear on and promoted by youtube. things like "how to get a free mini fridge" etc.
Ben
Thank you, as always, for the scam-busting episode! I always find these interesting…
Also, the watch does actually charge by plugging it directly into a USB plug-in. I’ve had watches like this, and I believe that you had the watch upside-down in the charging brick. I’m interested to know whether or not the watch is really worth much of anything. If you still have the watch (and if you see this comment) could you try and charge the watch by flipping it over in the charging brick and see if the watch works at all? I’m intrigued to know!
How does it turn on?
@@MWSfan18 it should turn itself on automatically when it gets plugged in
Looking for this comment, i agree, he put the watch in the charger, upside down.
Great video! I have filled in a few of these surveys, but as soon as I get asked for money I close it down. Still, this is good stuff to know; there are many of us who might end up in these situations, including me; so many thanks! And I heartily agree with the comment below, that this channel is great for jumping on new scams as they appear. Thank you for all your good work.
As a general rule, if you're offered something for free, but they need your credit card # for any reason (generally for shipping and handling or to prove you're over 18 are the excuses given), be very wary. I used to do customer service for a credit card company and people getting unexpected charges due to subscriptions they never knowingly signed up for was a very common problem. The worst part was when reported as fraud, they didn't always get their money back since the bank contacts the company, is given some sort of "proof" that it was authorized, and then puts the charge right back on the card again...and adding insult to injury, some of these companies were able to keep charging people's cards even after the card info had gotten changed due to the fraud report.
The world needs more people like you who exposes scam like this. Funny also how cops don't do anything to stops those scammer (especially when they operate in the USA). But don't you dare to forgot to report your last $10 sale to the IRS though, or you can go to jail. O_o
Keep up the great work in exposing these scammers mate!
I moved to ghana a few years ago, and I go to nigeria quite often. I ran into some scammers pretty quickly. I was amazed to see the other side of the scammer world. I would love to do some colaboration work with you and show what actually goes on at the other end
My email is constantly full of these emails. They come from everywhere, Amazon, Menards, Costco............
Gmail automatically marks them as spam, so I get them, but I never see them.
i have been seeing these for YEARS. THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THEM!!!! i have never understood what the point of these fake survey websites were but it makes total sense now
Clearly a scam. Thanks for bringing it to your viewers attention. I have clicked on these types of ads on You Tube, one around Christmas that I kept seeing was for a "free" tactical backpack - just pay S/H. But a little bit of homework disabused me of that notion.
Hi Ben, LOL, Have to say I love your videos and the way you present them. Keep them coming. I have watched a lot of "Scam" videos and I like yours the best by far.
DUDE I FELL FOR THIS!! igot this same survey that looked sorta legit and so sneaky looked JUST LIKE THIS. i ended up paying 5.95 and 9.95 for shipping for 2 items. a flashlight and a friggin dash cam. they were zupposedly "gifts". anyways 2 weeks later i get charged like 109$ and 89$ for the 2 items. i called up the biz that charged my card and they say i signed up for a trial price. i immediately got and RMA # and mailed both items back. funny part is the items were so cheesy they were still on my counter i had no desire to use either
I have been getting emails like these but I have been marking and reporting them in as spam... Great video... Keep up the great job PG... Love what you do...
Yey! Another video 😀 First time I've ever seen a video "Uploaded 8 seconds ago".. hah..
Hello Ben, I really enjoy your videos! When you connected the watch to the usb wall charger try flipping it around the other way so the contacts touch the USB port. I’ve had these cheapo watches and they seem to be weird with the way that they charge. Great video!
Thank you for this video. I personally never respond to online customer satisfaction surveys
You are absolutely great Sir for sharing this to public and it stopped early.
I got something like this before, I did a survey to get a free item. But, instead I got a catalog sent to me to get items at a good discount along with monthly fees, I told them I'm not interested. I had to call the 800# to cancel, a recording stated I needed to provide my social security number in order to cancel out. I just hung up the phone☎️🤬
hi Ben :-)
Since you asked about similar experiences, I have a story for you.
This happened many years ago. I ordered a Samsung galaxy watch from a ad that came while I was playing a game on my mobile. the Ad was impressive and the watch, that was portrayed, was really nice. The price was USD 49.00. I took a chance and ordered one. As you guessed, it WAS a knock off and did not even work properly. As I had paid via PayPal, I was granted a refund, so I did not lose any money.
Thank you for all that you do. regards and blessings. Andrew.
Those are chain emails that used to pay real money if you're able to complete the chain. The catch was you needed to "complete" offers just by clicking on links or opening new tabs with those links. That was ten years ago, now they're just a scam to get your information. The company that used to pay was overrun by scammers so it now pays in tokens for games.
Your videos are so enlightening and educational. I’m so glad I discovered you through Pierogi and the People’s Call Center collaboration.
Scams like this have been going on for at least 5 years (how long ive been dealing with it in a csr role within a bank) if there is ever anything that says "just pay shipping" its this. Facebook was rampant with them for awhile. The worst part of it is when you file a clam there is nothing the bank can do because they have documentation saying you approved it so they cant get your money back.
I’ve decided to do a marathon and it’s INSANE how much better your newer videos are (mostly due to them not being only 2 minutes long) but you hold true. Seeing you first realize the struggles in 3rd world countries is weirdly satisfying. Not because I have some racist tension but because WE ALL who live in America take for granted some simple thing like going to western union. We don’t realize the real trouble that 3rd world citizens have to go through just to receive $14. Don’t forget what you’ve learned Ben Dover (I know that’s not your name) continue to grow and as you grow, remember to inform your audience that these people are not scamming because they are desperately evil but because for them, it’s that or rob and steel in person or murder, or humbly eat mud pies. Remind your audience directly that we have it good. That we could find daily prepared food in almost every dumpster if it came down to it. That water is so free we flush it. Remind them like you reminded me. A black man in America.
Good points. Yet, many scammers in Africa, India, don't do it out of desperation, but because it's easy money, and they can live well.. Romance scammers, Tech support, etc etc. Who knows, maybe they started when desperate, but continued because money was good! They fail to look at the devastation they create, esp since some victims literally become homeless or commit suicide! It's daylight Robbery, actually, just by using other methods to deceive!
Yes! Great video Ben, perfect timing during my lunch break, keep up the great work!
It would be interesting to give the watch to some tech person to open up and analyze. Maybe there's a secret message or some additional Terms & Conditions inside.
Your videos are a great background for cleaning and other household things. Well made content and interesting topics. Thanks :)
Could you do a video on the Publishers Clearing House scam. My great Uncle got his identity stolen by one just this week. I fear it's being done on a larger scale to elderly people as more people have gotten the same call. It appears very elaborate.
That is a perfect video! I get those emails almost daily and always delete them, but it is so great to find out what it really is!!!! Thank you!
I have a scam for you! Someone has pretended to hire my mother in law and she was so excited for the job and it’s really a fake check scam. My mother in law feels defeated and crushed this was fake. She was told she could be sued for leaving the job without a 30 day notice. This scammer has wasted her time and emotional bandwidth. Where can I report the scam?
Hey, I'm sorry to hear about what happened to your mother in law. If it's not a legal work contract she has no reason to be afraid. You can try contacting the police to be sure, but I don't think there's much they can do due to how these scams operate. Good luck and stay safe
You should be able to find on Google a website where to report this scam in your country! Each country has its own ways of reporting..
Thanks for all your excellent investigative work and providing this great service. Ironically, you’re in Utah which is a breeding ground for sketchy MLM’s and GRQ’s (get rich quick) schemes. Maybe it’s not ironic as living in Utah may have made you extra aware. I got scammed by a famous Utah company when I sold blenders in Costco for them. Here’s a suggestion: I think I’d be a good idea to highlight your Utah connection by saying… Utah is famous for volunteer missionaries and my mission is to help protect you and your family from all kinds of scams. We can all give back and make the world a better place so, this is what I do. Thanks for watching! >>Thanks again for doing this. I served in Belgium in 83-84. Lorne Holman in Calgary Alberta Canada 🇨🇦
Thank you so much, Br. Green, you saved me from a $580 scam :)
The burner card thing is excellent. I wish I heard about it before.
My dad told me he won an iPhone. Then he paid 7 dollars for the shipping. Told him it was a scam. Then he told me to won a 2nd one. I am sure he paid for that one also. Never heard anything else after that. Sure we will be calling his credit card company to report a scam. The internet is scary place if you don't think everything is a scam.
There's always a catch!
While I haven't gotten any emails like this, it doesn't hurt to be aware of what's out there. It also doesn't mean I won't get any in the future. Thanks for sharing!
Scammers are really stupid nowadays, we need them this stupid.
Sadly, so are the marks.
Hi, Great video. You forgot to blur out your P.O. Box in many places including right on the actual P.O. Box (right on the door), and when you flip the packaging out and flip it around it shows up there also.
I enjoy your videos dude! :)
I used to work in the fraud & disputes department of a major credit card company. 75% of my calls were from people who fell for these types of scams/trial offers/. We had to explain that technically they WERE liable, as they DID accept the offer (thus, accepting all terms & conditions) and giving out you card number freely and knowingly does NOT constitute “fraud”. And, we could NOT block merchants or We even had to explain that by cancelling the credit card number wouldn’t help, as because they accepted terms & conditions for monthly subscription, said merchant could continue to charge the account. But we helped them regardless. There was a great satisfaction when I could get the “customer support “ agent to provide a refund & cancellation number on the spot. At one time we could call said merchant and fight on the customer’s behalf). Other times we had to file a dispute and send a chargeback to the merchant. We had to be. careful & precise in our wording on the dispute form. Usually “knockoff” product or defective/poorly made goods, as well as stating the fact that the offer terms were often not easy for the customer to locate. Most times the chargeback worked, but still the “customer’s responsibility” to have the recurring charges/membership cancelled. Oh what fun. Most of these calls were from older folk and hence, easily duped. I could go on and on with my experiences working for this credit card company. Hope my post can help educate as your videos always do.
I used to work for a company that shipped out supplement products (not realizing it was a scam) until we started opening letters addressed to us asking us to stop charging their cards. We never did and just threw the letters out. I’m sure they were getting their customers this way. Eventually I quit but people were getting charged sometimes up to $100 per bottle of pills. There were at least 6 different brands, prices, ingredients list, labels, however all used the same generic white pill bottles and whatever pills were pre-sealed inside. There were thousands of orders each month. Doing major numbers. The owners had a private jet they used to land and fly out of the air park across the street from the shop.
I love watching your vids
Keep up the work sir 💗
I love this TH-cam video, very valuable information. I've learned a lot about scams and what to look out for to avoid these. Keep up the good work, Ben! Kimberli Allen, SC
I never bite on online offers. If I need something I go to a store and buy it. I rather pay 100 dollars at a store than online which might come to 90 dollars after shipping.
When i was little i fell for this exact scam, it was a necklace or something like that, but it was a link via facebook. i had no idea until i was charged a "subscription fee." I remember calling "customer support" and they explained it to me, i got into a long argument with them that i never agreed to a subscription or membership and i wanted my money back. After a little while they caved and sent me my money back.
Feels like a scam, sounds like a scam.
At the very least it's a bait and switch operation using deceptive marketing in the extreme.
More likely the "subscription service" you automatically get signed up for (is that even legal in the US? It isn't where I live) doesn't even exist and they just charge your card a small amount at semi-regular intervals using different names each time until you take notice (which for most people will take months if they ever notice because it gets overlooked in between all the other small charges) and never send you anything.
I love that you chase the rabbit so I don't try to. Thanks for the honest review.
Its 100% a scam. Sending out cheap junk in order to get people to sign up to an expensive subscription that is also worthless is a scam!
Thanks for doing this one. I’ve always wondered what they got out of those surveys.
How people are trying to scam others nowadays....ridiculous.
Always a pleasure hearing from you Pleasent Green.
Sorry you lost your $8, but this is such a valuable lesson for us oldies who have no technology experience. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Worst scam I fell for was on NewEgg.
I bought a cheap knock off flight stick under the brand of PXN, they’re legit and make decent stuff for a cheap cost. At the time I couldn’t afford a expensive new flight stick, as my old Satiek bit the dust. So, a NewEgg seller had the PXN flight stick and throttle for 70$. Pretty good for that price at the time, but not low enough to raise any eyebrows. Seller had “organic” reviews, and 97.5%. I was like “hey, seems legit.” I bought it, they sent out my flight stick and sent me a “shipping number.” Week later they changed my order “they already shipped out” to a racing wheel you can get off wish for 5$ or Amazon for like 20$. Claimed that I ordered a racing wheel.
“Good” thing I had the way back machine and the former order receipt and basically shown customer support that these fucks were frauds. Guess what? NewEgg didn’t give a shit, and the seller didn’t either. Never got a refund.
The only scam I fell for. Deep down I knew better, yet I persisted.
I enjoy watching you go into the rabbit hole of shady websites
Just found your channel interesting I couldn't tell you how many scams I have received ..I'm watching your video and I'm from Ohio to find out that the zip code is exactly the small town I live it . Wow thank you for exposing these scams .
I’ve actually considered clicking on some of the sites but changed my mind last minute. Once again thank you for educating me on the fake sites.
I would have liked to know if they offered a way to cancel the "subscription service", or if anyone who falls victim to this just has to get a new card and close out the old one.
I keep getting those for Ace Hardware. I wondered what the scam was! Thank you for this video.
Great video 👍🏻. I get emails, like this one, frequently. I don’t even bother checking their fake email addresses anymore. I just hit “ delete”. It was interesting to find out what would actually happen if someone fell for this scam. Thanks, Pleasant Green, for letting us know how these emails work.
I have a watch like that one, you have to plug it into a computer USB to charge it. You then control it from your phone. It's real stupid. I got mine from Walmart for $20 just because I wanted something to track my steps without having to have my phone on me at all times.
Good job exposing another scam. I get surveys in my junk email all the time. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.
Literally the same thing happened to me but I dint do any surveys , it was for a pocket knife and it came with a flash light multi tool, it totaled to 10 dollars and a week or 2 later my bank sends me a email saying this company tried to charge me and if it wasn’t me to file it as fraudulent and get a new card number , thankfully my bank stopped it and I called them asking why they tried to charge me 54 dollars and they said I agreed to a subscription , I was lowkey mad but thank god I was not charged
“The instructional manual is so small I got to read it with a magnifying glass” 😂 😂 😂
My credit card got burned on a similar situation. I can’t remember doing the survey myself but I am guessing that someone I know filled out a survey and clicked to pay $1.95 for shipping on a chance to win or receive a prize. Nothing at all ever arrived. Instead I got charged $99.95 and another charge for $1.95 confusing. I called the phone number on the credit card statement and was told there were no refunds because of a similar savings club sign up fee but that I could cancel my membership in the savings club.
I guess that was an expensive lesson in reading the fine print. And the website has a statement that if you try to file to rescind the charges they will sue you. I was also told that the company running the web site representing has so many clients they all basically operate the same. I will tell everyone to be real careful filling out surveys as it’s not worth it.
I totally have not wanted to click on any of the 100 or so similar emails I've received like this. I was wondering what they were about but I was NOT about to click on one. Thank you, Pleasant Green for the info as I really wanted to know what the hussle was.
I love watching commercials for fun. I do appreciate a lot of the tips like the fake spot plug in.
It did happened to me 4 years ago. And as a thanks for the Survey I choose a anti wrinkle cream for $4.95 s/h. Then 3 weeks later they charged my bank $99. I to missed the very small print on the bottom. I canceled my bank card. And did called the company, and they were extremely crude to me. So now I try to be extremely careful.
A Pleasant Green video. This day, just got better
we can all agree when this guy uploads our day getrs better
Not surprised it came from Akron, Ohio. I live ~20 minutes from there and it's a very sketchy area
you´re doing a better job exposing scams than most of the goverments out there
Akron represent! I love that you pronounced it wrong too!
New subscriber here! Thank you for the informative videos. You sir take scam-baiting to a whole other level!!
Ohhhh Ben Dover..you've done it again. I always get a good chuckle when I hear your name 😅. I wonder if the sellers ever pick up on it???
Do you have any suggestions for burner card sites outside the u.s? I tried to use the one you mentioned but it won't accept use in Australia. I'd love to use one for trial subscriptions?
Thank you for another brilliant video. I got stuck in a rolling 'subscription ' once...easiest way to deal with it is contact your credit card provider and get them to block payments. Hope that helps someone out there!
It is one of the oldest tricks in the book, I’m sure some do catch it but they probably think you just put a fake name for privacy reasons. Btw, there is a famous adult actor named Ben Dover