As the school year ends, the festivities begin. From graduation get-ups to prom preparations, the expenses can quickly add up for parents, Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona warns.

Graduation can be a year-long expenditure; from invitations and photos to caps and gowns. A senior prom, however, can quickly add to a pricey last-minute event. A new survey from Visa, Inc indicated the average American family plans to spend $1,139 on prom this year, a 5 percent increase from 2012.

Limousines are among the most popular expenses for both festivities. Last year, BBB received over 1,700 complaints nationwide regarding limousine services. Most complaints alleged the limo failed to arrive on time, or at all. Other complaints allege consumers had trouble receiving requested refunds.

Besides limo service, there are many other vendors involved in senior celebrations. BBB has advice for parents and their kids who are preparing for prom or graduation;

• Prom Tickets – Tickets should be purchased directly from the school or official ticket seller rather than third parties to avoid receiving a counterfeit ticket.
• Dresses – The average price fora prom dress or tuxedo can range, but a designer outfit can easily add to any price tag. If your child wants to wear a designer outfit, buy from a reputable retailer. Be cautious of online merchants. What seems like a great deal online may be a counterfeit.
• Beauty Services – If your child wants an overall makeover keep in mind other students may want one as well. Schedule appointments as far in advance as possible.
• Limousines – Depending on the type of vehicle and the number of hours needed, parents should make sure they have a written contract that includes the hours of service, required fees including gratuities and maximum capacity allowed.
• Dinners – The key to preventing a disaster when the bill arrives is advance preparation. Review menus online,make reservations, and determine the payment method and gratuities beforehand.Some restaurants will not split checks for large groups and can charge a higher gratuity for a large party.
• Flowers – Flowers for prom can range from a simple corsage or boutonniere to a bouquet of roses. If you are ordering flowers, make sure you use a reliable florist and have a written order that spells out delivery times and specific flower types.
• Photography – If you’re hiring a professional photographer, make sure you have a written contract so that you understand what is included.

Parents can check out business reviews for florists, photographers, limousine companies, retailers and salons online at www.tucson.bbb.org.

Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona is warning consumers to be on the lookout for a resurgence of the “grandparent scam,” which is again targeting victims in southern Arizona.

The Explorer News is reporting that Oro Valley Police met with a couple that received a phone call from scammers posing as their grandson, who was supposedly in a Canadian jail and needed $2,000 in bail money. The couple said a second man got on the phone claiming to be a police officer; he told the couple that in total they would need to send $4,875 to free their grandson. The couple attempted to wire that amount to Canada, before being told it was a scam by the Western Union attendant.

“Once you send money to Canada, there’s no hope of getting it back,” said Kim States, BBB president. “A good rule of thumb is to never wire money out of the country unless you initiated contact with that relative or friend and you know for a fact they are where they say they are.”

Last year the scam claimed at least one other local victim when 74-year-old Alice Clark answered a call at her Tucson home from someone whom she thought she was her grandson Josh.

“I was just so sure it was him,” said Clark, who tapped into her savings account for $8,000. “He sounded so distressed. He asked me to keep everything confidential because he was embarrassed and didn’t want the family to know what had happened.”

It wasn’t until she didn’t hear back from her grandson that Clark called his home and he surprisingly answered the phone. It was at that moment she knew she had been robbed.

“It was just like somebody threw ice water on me,” she said.

BBB offers the following tips to protect against this scam:

• Don’t fill in the blanks for the caller: In Clark’s example, the scammer asks a leading question “Hello grandma; do you know who this is?”  Ask a lot of questions, and those that have (more…)

Fraud targeting senior citizens is a growing concern as millions have fallen victim to scammers. Better Business Bureau encourages families to keep the lines of communication open with their elders regarding finances and to recognize some common cons targeting senior citizens.

According to a June 2010 survey by Investor Protection Trust, more than 7.3 million senior citizens—roughly 20 percent of Americans aged 65 or older– have “been taken advantage of financially in terms of an inappropriate investment, unreasonably high fees for financial services, or outright fraud.”

“Having a serious conversation with your elderly parents about how they are managing their money is not easy, but it is extremely important in order to help protect them from unscrupulous crooks,” said Kim States, BBB President. “It’s extremely important to keep the lines of communication open so that you can identify suspicious spending habits, as well as educate your elder family members on recognizing the red flags of common cons.”

BBB warns against the following five scams that commonly target senior citizens:

Sweepstakes and Lottery Scams –Typically, the victim receives a letter in the mail stating they have won a lottery or sweepstakes; it might even claim to be from Publisher’s Clearing House or (more…)