Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on your radio show to talk about moving scams. People run into problems primarily when they hire a moving broker, not an actual mover. @valeriereports newsweek.com/2023/02/10/fed… (THREAD) @malonespeaking @uspirg @valeriereports Some consumers are quoted one price and given a much higher price later. In some cases, people's property is just stolen and fenced. There are all sorts or problems. The key issue is brokers aren't regulated the same way movers are. But you can take steps to protect yourself. (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on your radio show today to talk about a woman who bought a $21k car thru FB, then it was towed after @Hertz claimed the car was stolen. For ANY used car, I'd recommend checking the title history. There are free resources and ... (THREAD) @malonespeaking @uspirg @Hertz ... resources you pay for - anywhere from $3.50 to $40.

FREE in Ohio: bmvonline.dps.ohio.gov/bmvonline/Home…

Plus FREE Nat'l Ins. Crime Bureau VIN check, which tracks stolen vehicles and ones that were totaled in a wreck: nicb.org/vincheck

For paid services, I'd recommend ... (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking for talking with @uspirg today about online romance scams, which are common. It is stunning, though, that someone could buy a tale that their "boyfriend" is an astronaut who needs money for a ride back from outer space. (THREAD) vice.com/en/article/3ad… @malonespeaking @uspirg The poor woman, 65, sent $30,000 over a couple of weeks before realizing she'd been conned. Desperate people do irrational things, whether it's giving money to someone who promises to marry you or buying gift cards to get your grandson out of jail. @RobOn1100 @cachearoberts (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on your radio show today to talk about employment scams and flooded cars being sold after Hurricane Ian.
First, it's awful that a NEOhio woman was bilked out of $10,500 last month by someone supposedly offering her a job. (THREAD) @malonespeaking @uspirg Two tips: 1. You should never pay an employer for items you supposedly need for a job. If you need a computer, a printer, new shoes, etc., buy it on your own.
2. You shouldn't make instant P2P payments (esp large ones) to people you don't know well. @RobOn1100 @cachearoberts (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking for chatting with @uspirg on your radio show today to warn consumers about utility bill scams. Con artists are taking advantage of our desire for lower utility bills by going door-to-door and asking to see bills. Then they can steal your info. (THREAD) @malonespeaking @uspirg Then they can switch you to another company with higher rates.
Or, worse, scammers are calling and emailing consumers BY NAME and telling them they overpaid and can get a refund by just providing their bank account info. @RobOn1100 @cachearoberts (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on to talk about the increase in rental scams. People think they're renting a home to live in or vacation in but it's a con.
One big tip: Take a screen shot of the main photo and do a Google image search. Find it elsewhere? Oops.(THREAD) @malonespeaking @uspirg Con artists often lift photos from legitimate sites and post them on elsewhere to collect deposits and rent. It's easy to get keys made for a vacant property. Potential renters should also search for the address and do Google Earth searches to see whether the property exists. (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on your radio show to yell at you for your lack of sympathy for some scam victims. I agree this scam -- a person was conned into buying $4,000 in gift cards to resolve a $2,500 fraudulent charge -- sounds outlandish. But ...(THREAD)

https://twitter.com/malonespeaking/status/1564241963955748864

@malonespeaking @uspirg Millions of people fall victim to various cons every year, often through scam robocalls, robotexts or emails. The bad guys are REALLY, REALLY good at this. An above-average-smart consumer can suspend their common sense on any given day, especially if they're distracted ... (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on your show today to talk about P2P scams where people are called by someone posing as their bank. The callers sometimes even know the person's name and address! @edmpirg (THREAD) nj.com/news/2022/08/w… @malonespeaking @uspirg @edmpirg I beg consumers not to think it couldn't happen to them with a spoofed robocall or scam text. You never know what you'll do in a panic, esp if you're distracted by something else. Nearly 18 million people were scammed in P2P Zelle transactions in 2020. (2) nytimes.com/2022/03/06/bus…

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on your show today to talk about medical bills & the latest Equifax mess.
Good news when we schedule a doctor's visit or procedure. The federal #NoSurprisesAct requires upfront estimates. @PatriciaKelmar uspirgedfund.org/blogs/blog/usp… (THREAD) @malonespeaking @uspirg @PatriciaKelmar Just like we can get a written estimate for a home improvement or car repair, we can start getting written, upfront estimates for medical care. It's in effect now for people without insurance or for uncovered procedures. It will take effect soon for people who have insurance. (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking
for having @uspirg
on your radio show today to talk about avoiding car-buying nightmares. I felt your pain when you & @cachearoberts recounted buying cars with broken ACs. We all have a horror story about a used or new car. (THREAD)
bmvonline.dps.ohio.gov/Search/Title @malonespeaking @uspirg @cachearoberts 4 pieces of advice:
1. When buying a used car, check its history free through bmvonline.dps.ohio.gov/Search/Title in Ohio or, better yet, carfax.com for $40. It's worth it to find out accident history, number of owners, etc. (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on your radio show today to talk about how medical debts will start falling off credit reports on July 1. This is huge for the millions whose credit scores are hurt by medical bills in collection. @edmpirg @MikeLittUSA @PatriciaKelmar (1) @malonespeaking @uspirg @edmpirg @MikeLittUSA @PatriciaKelmar It's estimated that nearly 20 percent of consumers have medical debt actually in collection, according to the American Medical Association. This is stunning. And medical debt is the largest source of personal debt among consumers. (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on your show today to talk about Apple's new "Pay Later" service. It could be trouble for consumers who don't pay attention to the details or know what they're getting into. @edmpirg @MikeLittUSA (THREAD) uspirg.org/feature/usf/bu… @malonespeaking @uspirg @edmpirg @MikeLittUSA Like we talked about with Buy Now plans, it's troubling that people might be putting not just big-ticket items on a 6-week repayment plan, but Big Macs and shoes too. It's easy to lose track of what's due when and end up paying interest or fees or having bounced transactions. (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on your show today to talk about how consumers can safeguard their finances and personal information if their wallet is lost or stolen. The recent rash of wallet thefts in Westlake are concerning. (THREAD) fox8.com/news/police-wa… @malonespeaking @uspirg 1. Avoid even having a debit card tied to your primary checking account. If you do, don't carry it with you unnecessarily. A debit card on a secondary account, or no debit card, are better options. If your debit card is stolen, your bank account could be drained in minutes. (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on today to talk about the dangers of wiring money or making P2P payments (Venmo, CashApp, Zelle) to strangers. If you're buying a car or anything else, money sent this way rarely can be recovered. (THREAD) uspirgedfund.org/feature/usf/ch… @malonespeaking @uspirg When buying a car, you should go to the Title Bureau with the seller to have the title transferred so you know it's legit. Or at least you can check on your own whether the title the seller hands you is valid. @malonespeaking @RobOn1100 In Ohio go to bmvonline.dps.ohio.gov/bmvonline/sear… (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on your show to talk about MONEY (not what #JimmieWalker pitches in TV ads). Consumers should check MissingMoney.com to find out whether they have unclaimed funds that have been turned over to the state. It's free to claim. (1) @malonespeaking @uspirg People often have $ from old utility deposits or forgotten bank accounts. MissingMoney.com is legit; it's the only site endorsed by the Nat'l Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. Don't be tricked into paying a fee if someone offers to file a claim for you. (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on today to warn people about crypto scams. The tale of the Solon lady who lost $600,000 is heartbreaking. Consumers need to realize crypto is not regulated the way bank deposits are. At best, crypto is more like an investment. (THREAD) @malonespeaking @uspirg The most important takeaway: People shouldn't put money in or sign ANYTHING they don't understand-whether it's an investment or a contract or the fine print on a website that asks you to agree to terms & conditions. You know many people investing in crypto don't understand it (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on the show today to talk about avoiding scam charities, such as ones claiming to raise money for refugees from Ukraine. It's such a shame there are con artists lurking everywhere, trying to take advantage of our generosity. (THREAD) @malonespeaking @uspirg One legitimate charity doing good work in Ukraine is UNICEF. unicef.org/ukraine/en Other options: We have several Ukrainian churches in Greater Cleveland. Reach out to them to see how you can help. If you hear about other charities, check them out before donating. (2)

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on your show today to talk about opting out of junk mail such as credit and insurance offers. The credit bureaus are allowed to sell our information but we can opt out. There's one official site for this: optoutprescreen.com (THREAD) @malonespeaking @uspirg Or you call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT.
You can opt out for 5 years or permanently. (Duh!) You do have to provide your personal information: name, address, SSN & date of birth. The credit bureaus already have this info.

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on your show to talk about CLUE reports that show past auto insurance and property damage claims, going back 5-7 years. You can get your own CLUE report free. Call LexisNexis at 1-866-312-8076 or go to personalreports.lexisnexis.com (THREAD) @malonespeaking @uspirg Most consumers don't know about CLUE reports (stands for Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange). Just like with traditional credit reports, you're entitled to one free copy of your CLUE report per year.

Thanks @malonespeaking for having @uspirg on your show today to talk about #NewYearResolutions.
No. 1: Check your credit report free through annualcreditreport.com or 877-322-8228. Errors can cost you money, a new job or home rental. @edmpirg (THREAD) uspirg.org/news/usp/state… @malonespeaking @uspirg @edmpirg You can get your credit report from each of the 3 bureaus once a week at no charge through April. Then it's once a year, unless the law is finally changed. You must go through annualcreditreport.com or official phone number to get reports free. @edmpirg @MikeLittUSA