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Curiosity could harm your pocketbook

by TERRI DICKERSON/ CDA Press Consumer Gal
| April 29, 2021 1:00 AM

Crooks are quite cunning. In the latest twist on the PayPal scam, now local readers have received notices from what appears to be the customer service department of PayPal.

It's easy to spot a fake email if you don’t do business with PayPal but scammers are always playing the odds because it's likely their targets have an account with the company.

In fact, one of PayPal’s warnings to customers is they will never send a generic email addressed to Hello or PayPal Member. So it was interesting that this notice to a Coeur d’Alene reader actually addressed the email specifically to him.

The notice started out saying you have sent a payment for (in this case) $1999.99 to Springfield Armory Inc. The notice mimics the invoice that you would expect to see from the merchant. The notice informs the customer that they only have 24 hours to dispute the charge by calling 800-301-7511.

To add to the authenticity of the notice, Springfield Armory, Inc. is a real company that manufactures firearms in Geneseo, Ill. Since our reader did not purchase a firearm, he was sure this was just a phishing email. He checked his account and wasn't charged.

Don’t let curiosity get the better of you. Instead, go directly to your account to check for any charges or purchases.

PayPal reminds us to always ensure that the address bar begins with https://www.paypal.com/. The ‘s’ in ‘https’ means the website is secure.

Receiving a fraudulent email doesn't necessarily mean your PayPal account has been compromised. If you suspect an email is fraudulent, don’t reply to it and don’t click on links or open any attachments. Simply forward the email to PayPal at spoof@paypal.com and then delete it.

If you've replied to a suspicious email, change your password immediately and inform your bank if you provided banking information.

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Airline travel tips

If you're planning air travel soon, be aware that airlines have been changing departure times, flight frequency and in some instances, swapping airplane models based on customer demand or rather lack of demand.

As your trip gets closer to the departure date, keep track of your flight to make sure it's on time.

If frequent changes to flights continue, trying to take advantage of an airfare deal if the trip is months away can be tricky because it could be more likely than not that a change may be made as airlines continue to adjust their routes based on profitability.

The best thing you can do is know your passenger rights. Airlines are required to notify you of major flight schedule changes. But some travelers are reporting that the new re-booked flight times are not as convenient as the original flight.

As a consumer, you do not have to accept the rescheduled itinerary if it doesn’t suit you. You also might want to be careful about booking non-refundable flights if you are counting on being at a certain destination by a particular time.

To learn more about your rights as an air traveler, check out FlyerRights.org at https://flyersrights.org/know-your-rights/. This is a nonprofit airline consumer organization designed to help educate travelers on what to do in the event of flight/tarmac delays, baggage issues, traveling with a disability or traveling with a pet, to name a few.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) also has a section on its website addressing air consumer rights. Its website is https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/fly-rights.

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Purchasing tickets to live events

As COVID-19 restrictions are easing and things seem to be getting back to normal, a study by Bankrate.com shows that many consumers are still slow to purchase tickets for upcoming concerts or live events.

Consumers were burned last year when COVID-19 precautions resulted in almost all live events being canceled. Even when a future date could not be determined, many companies and ticket agencies were reluctant to provide refunds, meaning the customers were out the money with what seemed like little to no recourse.

According to the study, only about 16% of U.S. adults currently have a ticket for an upcoming live event such as a concert, theater, comedy or sporting event. Of that number, the most likely age group to purchase tickets was younger adults in the Gen Z and Millennials groups (ages 18-40).

It seems many consumers are taking a wait-and-see approach on tickets for live events. The Bankrate.com data suggests most consumers aren't jumping out there to be first to purchase these types of tickets because of concerns that things could get locked down again and without notice. Retailers, restaurants and travel are rebounding much more quickly than large public events.

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Remember: I’m on your side. If you have encountered a consumer issue that you have questions about or think our readers should know about, please send me an email at terridickersonadvocate@gmail.com or call me at 208-274-4458. As the Cd'A Press Consumer Gal, I’m here to help. I’m a copywriter working with businesses on marketing strategy, a columnist, a veterans advocate and a consumer advocate living in Coeur d’Alene.