2 days ago
BBB warns of new twist on old scam
JOPLIN, Mo. — A charity scam is making its rounds on TikTok, and the Better Business Bureau has some red flags to look out for.
The BBB received a report about an account called FlappyBirdUS, using stolen or AI-generated video of a senior couple selling trinkets like cat toys or cow slippers, to support a failing cat shelter.
BBB offers tips for handling door-to-door solicitors
A link leads to a website where you can buy a product, which never arrives, leaving you out money and personal information like your credit card number and address.
It's a new format for an old scam designed to pull at your heartstrings.
'They're using a lot of emotional manipulation, a lot of emotional tactics: cute animals, emotional music, pleading saying, 'Please don't scroll past!' Because if you do, then you're going to start feeling guilty. And they're preying on that emotion, then, to get you to go ahead and take one more step of clicking on that link and purchasing that item,' said Pamela Hernandez, BBB Springfield Regional Director.
Hernandez says to watch out for charities that aren't clear about where your money is going, and research organizations on before making a donation.
If you've fallen victim to a charity scam, contact your credit card company to start a chargeback, and enable multifactor authentication on all of your accounts.
You can also report your experience on the BBB's scam tracker so other consumers know what to watch out for.
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