8 Steps to Protect Yourself from Discount Offer Scams

Discount Offer Scam is a widespread menace which sucks out millions of dollars every year from consumers, who unwittingly become victims. Before the advent of email, text message and social networks, the scam was limited and used to be run through  Print, Radio and TV. Arrival of the internet and proliferation of mobile communication & social networking have made it quite easy for criminals to target millions of people with bogus Discount Offers, while  being anonymous  & safe  in remote locations. 

There are legitimate discount offers from legitimate companies and these will be generally at reasonable rates and not at “too good to be true” rates. However, do note that even regular retailers too could play the “Discount Offer Trick”  by first raising the price of the product  and then offering 30% discount or  “buy 2 get 1 free schemes”

So be wary of all discount offers!

• Shopper Discounts
• Festival Day Discounts
• Red Tag Sale
• Teacher Discounts
• Student Discounts
• Military Discounts
• Senior Citizen Discounts
• Discount Cards
• Travel Discounts
• Holiday Discounts
• Cruise Discounts
• Health Plan Discounts
• Insurance Discounts
• Daily Deal Discounts
• Medical Discount Plans
• Bogus Discount Cards

The scam plays out in a variety of consumer fields with the  following  common characteristics:

The discount rate is “too good to be true”

To get the phenomenal discount, one needs to be a member and pay fees!

Asks for immediate payment by credit card, preloaded cash card or  Western Union

The offer is worded to appear as if its from a  well known company

8 Steps to Protect Yourself from Discount Offer Scams

• Avoid  discount offers that are “too good to be true”
• Avoid signing up as a member to avail discount offer from an otherwise unknown entity
• Don’t let the high pressure sales pitch influence you. Refuse  to  make immediate payment by credit card, cash card or otherwise
• Take your time to evaluate offer, check the background of the company, complaints / reviews
• Avoid entering personal info into forms to get Discount Offer, unless you are certain who and how the data will be used
• Be alert about scammers who could pretend to be a well respected company and may try to trick you by directing you to a phishing site
• If you chanced to answer someone offering “great discount”, over the phone, ask for the offer details to be sent to you, by mail
• Never agree to pay fees for availing a discount, using credit card over phone. You will certainly lose money

Discount Scammers use a variety of  websites, mail ids and phone numbers. Reporting phone numbers of these scammers at Scamcallfighters.com would help consumers from getting  defrauded.