Shopping and Donating

With the winter Olympics in Italy fast approaching, athletes around the world are fine-tuning their routines, sharpening their skates, and finalizing their travel itineraries. If you’re planning to go to the Olympics, having a sound game plan is a key to success, just as it is for the competitors. Here’s what to know about travel, ticket, and vacation rental scams before you embark on your journey.

You’ve probably seen ads online, on TV, or on social media for subscription offers. They could be for anything from gifts and groceries to snacks and magazines. Some say you can try the subscription for free — but it might not be true. Some will auto-renew if you don’t cancel first, which might come as a surprise. Sometimes you’re signed up for a subscription without even knowing it. Problems with subscriptions or membership fees can happen when a business doesn’t clearly explain that it will keep billing you unless you do something. And that’s what the FTC alleges happened with Maplebear Inc., doing business as Instacart. According to the FTC, Instacart violated the law when, among other things, it charged people annual membership fees for its subscription service after they’d completed free trials — without getting their consent.

People in the military are known for looking out for one another. That’s why scammers set up camp outside military banks pretending to need help — just to get through the holidays. But take a tactical pause. This might be a scammer looking to use your phone to drain your bank accounts. Learn to spot and avoid this scam.