Today marks the longest day of the year and the first day of summer. School is out. Ice cream trucks roam the streets. Sprinklers are used not for water plants, but as makeshift pools. The dog days of summer are fun for kids, full of good memories for adults, and bursting with opportunities for scammers.

Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona loves the sun just as much as anyone, but before you grab your inner-tube and lather on that SPF, we’ve got some summertime reminders to keep you scam-sharp.

• Beware the vacation/timeshare scam. Prevalent all over the United States, scammers will ply unsuspecting consumers with beautiful pictures of resorts and sunsets, but don’t be fooled. Do all the adequate research before putting any money down on your new timeshare or summer vacation spot.
• ‘Gone phishin’ for the summer. Though less common in the United States, for those planning to travel abroad: Listen up! With your smart phones out of commission in another country, many of us will search out internet cafés to send emails to family, pay bills & check out Facebook. Do you best to pay all bills before leaving home, and make sure to log off the browser and shut down the computer once you have finished. As added security, consider employing an identity protection service while out of town. They will proactively monitor accounts and send alerts if anything strange occurs.
• They’ve got mail. Your mail, to be exact. A common way for a con-artist to capture your personal information is to wait for you to go out of town, and then steal your bills and statements from your mailbox. Luckily there are a few easy fixes if you want to ward off the bad guys, either ask a friend to come by and pick up your mail while you’re away, put a temporary stop on your mail while you’re out of town or invest in a mailbox that you can lock.
• Be wary of Door-to-Door salesmen. They pop up in your neighborhood as soon as the temperatures rise. Whether they are peddling magazines, cheap home repairs or landscaping, BBB advises consumer to be cautious in hiring door-to-door salesmen who use high-pressure tactics and cannot prove they are licensed with the state.

Now that you’ve got the details on the summer’s most popular scams, you can do a cannonball right into summer. For more information about scams and BBB Accredited Businesses, visit www.tucson.bbb.org or call (520)888-6161.

Better Business Bureau receives thousands of complaints each year from consumers who have unknowingly purchased multi-year magazine subscriptions. Unscrupulous telemarketers sometimes trick consumers into paying hundreds of dollars for multi-year subscriptions to magazines they don’t want or can’t afford. BBB warns that deceptive door-to-door magazine sales crews are hitting the pavement and looking to earn a quick buck this summer.

Oftentimes, the door knocking presentations are so slick that consumers aren’t even aware that they have bought several magazine subscriptions until they receive the bill. In 2011, BBB has already received 662 complaints about door-to-door magazine sellers and dealers, a number that’s well on its way to toping last year’s nearly 1,200 complaints. These high pressure sellers use tactics that can have anyone falling victim.

“With the summer months fast approaching, the warm weather is sure to bring an eager group of door knockers from all trades to your door,” said Kim States, BBB President. “Most complaints against door knockers selling magazine subscriptions allege that sales representatives took their check and the magazines never arrived, while some complainants also allege being subjected to high-pressure and misleading sales tactics.”

This summer, BBB recommends the following on how to handle door-to-door magazine sellers:

Listen carefully and be aware of high pressure sales tactics. Some unscrupulous door-to-door sellers will put pressure on you to close the deal at that moment, and even make special offers to entice you. Listen to their tone. Are they increasing in volume as they speak to you? Are they ignoring you despite saying you are not interested? Find a way to end the conversation quickly to avoid long, drawn-out pressure sales pitches.

Stand strong. Do not invite unsolicited salespeople into your home. If you do allow a salesperson inside and decide during the presentation that you are not interested in making a purchase, simply ask him or her to leave. If the salesperson refuses to leave, threaten to call the police, and follow through if they don’t leave immediately.

Verify the individual and the company. If you are interested in buying from a door-to-door seller, get everything in writing including price, warranty and all conditions. Tell the salesperson you will check it out and get back to him or her. Ask for a business card and contact information. Look the company up yourself and check to verify this person is an employee. Also, take the time to check out the company’s BBB Business Review at www.bbb.org.
Know your rights. The Federal Trade Commission’s Three-Day Cooling-Off Rule gives the customer three days to cancel purchases over $25 that are made in their home or at a location that is not the seller’s permanent place of business. Along with a receipt, salespeople should also include a completed cancellation form that customers can send to the company to cancel the agreement. By law, the company must give customers a refund within 10 days of receiving the cancellation notice.

Victims of fraudulent magazine sales can file a complaint with BBB at www.tucson.bbb.org, local law enforcement, and the Arizona Attorney General’s office.

Are you on Facebook yet? BBB’s Facebook page is a place consumers can go to not only get the latest breaking consumer news, but to also interact with each other. Did you receive something fishy in the mail? Did a salesperson show up at your door offering a seemingly dubious service?

“Like” BBB on Facebook and share your experiences, and get feedback from BBB, and other Southern Arizona consumers. Facebook has become a great way for people of all walks of like to come to together, share experiences, opinions, and connect as a community in a way that was unimaginable just a few years ago.

At BBB we know we can’t offer the service we offer without consumers coming together to report problems and experiences they’ve had in the local marketplace. So join BBB on Facebook, invite your friends, and help advance trust in our local Southern Arizona marketplace.

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