In its October 2012 issue, Consumer Reports discusses many of the ways in which shoppers are scammed/tricked by companies. As the nonprofit group notes: “Fraud and identity-theft complaints tracked by the Federal Trade Commission topped 1.2 million last year [2011], up 19 percent over 2010 and 800 percent since 2000. Moreover, the FBI says fraud involving investments, mortgages, and the Internet is growing. Government takedowns of multimillion-dollar schemes are common. ‘Fraud is as high as it’s ever been, because the scam artists are using brand-new channels and technology that didn’t exist 15 years ago,’ says Martha Deevy, director of the Financial Fraud Research Center at Stanford University’s Center on Longevity. The center estimates the measurable direct cost of financial fraud to Americans to be $40 billion to $50 billion a year.”
Click on the image to learn from Consumer Reports about scams/business tricks that you should be beware of and be able to defend yourself against.
Illustration by: Rafael Ricoy
I find this interesting because companies can really intimidate the consumer and make them feel unsafe. It would be problematic nowadays to believe everything they say, and can put your financial life and identity in danger. Sad.
So, WE need to better as marketers. 🙂