Here’s a dirty little secret that a lot of us don’t want others to know: we like to think of ourselves as the smartest person in the room. Well, even if we might not be the smartest, we’re definitely (way) above average! And there’s no way that we’d ever fall for a cheap scam. Tricksters and fraudsters—beware! There’s no way that you’ll weasel cash out of here! (Hey, that rhymed.) However, reality shows us that many do fall prey to scams and that the scammers themselves are constantly adapting and finding new ways to bamboozle their marks.
Reddit users have been pooling all of their experience together and sharing all the common scams, small and large, that other people don’t always realize are scams or are potential scams. The thread got over 3.2k comments and has helped internet users gain a new perspective on a variety of things, from multilevel marketing and men’s and women’s products to diamonds and superfoods and more. There’s nothing like seeing something with a fresh pair of eyes.
Have a read about some of the most common scams, upvote the most informative posts, and let us know if any of these were new to you, dear Pandas. Oh! And if you know of any other swindles that people tend to fall for, be sure to let everyone know, too!
#1
Paying money to a religion to guarantee your eternal salvation.
Image source: 13xnono, unsplash
#2
Insurance. You’re obligated to get it legally but when you actually need it, they’ll do everything in their power to not pay out…
Image source: thebeatoflife , pexels
#3
The US healthcare system. Hell, just name any aspect of life in the US and there’s probably a scam somewhere in there.
Image source: MaximumGamer1, unsplash
#4
Diamonds. Diamonds are a fairly common gemstone but the world’s supplier of them is a monopoly and they hoard the majority of their stock to jack the prices up. Emeralds, Rubies and Sapphires are actually rarer than diamonds but cost less because of this.
Image source: Powerofgodandanime17, flickr
#5
“Woman’s” anything. 90% are just colored different. Razors are the biggest offenders IMOP.
Image source: Grondosos, pexels
#6
Planned obsolescence. Appliances being designed to fail sooner in order to sooner create demand for a replacement. In the same vein, devices being designed to not be repairable, so that you need to invest in a shiny new specimen whenever fashion or the predesigned breakdown require it.
Image source: BeeBarfBadger, flickr
#7
Unpaid internships. What the actual f**k is wrong with America.
Image source: benjamynt, pexels
#8
Scientology… And by most people, I mean those people in it.
Image source: herda831, unsplash
#9
The Humane Society of the United States
“HSUS doesn’t run a single pet shelter. HSUS is not affiliated with any pet shelters. And HSUS only gives 1% of donations to pet shelters.” Most of the donated money goes into the higher up’s pension plans.
Seriously don’t donate money to them, instead donate to a local shelter near you, they’re the ones doing real work & helping animals.
Any “charity” whose president is living high on the hog on donations is a scam.
Image source: FarmerTex, pexels
#10
Contrary to popular belief, there a very few hot Russian singles in my area.
Image source: KokonutMonkey, unsplash
#11
.99 cents at the end of pricing.
#12
Printer ink.
Image source: cartoonassasin, flickr
#13
Expiration date on million years old himalayan salt.
#14
Having to pay $100+ bucks for Microsoft word.
Image source: yawnandshrug, flickr
#15
Trickle down economics.
Image source: HiopXenophil , wikipedia
#16
Recycling plastic. The “recycling symbol” with the number on it is not a recycling symbol. It’s a resin identification code. It was intentionally designed to look like the recycling symbol to fool consumers. Only around 10% of plastics are recycled and usually only once. The whole campaign about recycling plastics and consumer responsibility was set up by the bottling companies to avoid legislation banning plastics because of their harm to the environment.
Image source: ioncloud9 , flickr
#17
Ordering a full carafe of wine in a restaurant. Where I work, a full carafe can fill 4-5 glasses. Ordering 5 glasses of some of our types of wine is actually $1-2 cheaper than the full carafe. Check the prices and do the math before ordering! Same goes for pitchers of beer!
Image source: neeeenbean, pexels
#18
When stores ask you to donate at checkout, they’re using it as a tax write off.
Image source: its-incredibl
#19
The concept of “superfoods” and “organic” anything. I work at a smoothie bowl place, and people will come in and literally pile 1500 calories full of peanut butter and granola into a bowl and think it’s healthy because they put some superfood organic something into a bowl. It’s literally pumpkin granola cereal from the store down the street, it’s not going to cure cancer.
Image source: plantayshun_610, flickr
#20
Psychics.
Image source: Gui_Franco, pexels
#21
In app mobile purchases. Especially for kids games.
Image source: JUST_THAT_JERK, pexels
#22
Insurance, at least in the US. If you have to fight for something YOU PAY FOR to pay THAT WHICH IT’S LITERALLY SUPPOSED TO PAY FOR and in return GET SCREWED with higher premiums, higher deductibles and higher copay amounts, then it’s basically useless. We’re paying into a scam cause we’re idiots who don’t understand, and don’t WANT to understand how much better off our we’d be with Universal coverage, due to cost alone. But hey, what do I know?
Image source: snflwr1313
#23
“Hustle” culture. Capital doesn’t even have to manage you anymore; you manage yourself by convincing yourself that lack of sleep is good and that you should be working around the clock.
Image source: Blue_Dog_Democracy
#24
“Work 12 hours a day every day and I’m surrrre they’ll move me up. I’m very valuable to my company “
Image source: EscapeOdd8897
#25
Our (US) health care system.
Image source: Lauren12269, pexels
#26
Out of network ATM fees.
Image source: Vespaeelio, unsplash
#27
Bottled water.
Image source: poopyhole2, pexels
#28
Funeral services. There is nothing wrong or dangerous about dead bodies. The idea that random people come into your home and take your loved one away, rip out their insides, fill them will chemicals and out them on display and you have to pay to put them to rest is ridiculous and quite frankly evil.
Image source: FoxFetter
#29
When I was a kid my brother would tell me the lottery is ‘a tax on stupid people.
Image source: Luke10124
#30
I’m most intrigued by the vague life coaches, who use lots of big words and mention specific figures they have supposedly earned, but there is no clarity on what exactly they do.
Image source: immoreoriginalmate
#31
Those Facebook post that my grandparents always repost that go on about some s**t like Facebook doesn’t want you see this… trump bla bla bla …… repost this if your brave …. let’s make this go viral etc
Image source: Drywalleater03
#32
“Shrinkflation.” Where they give you less, and charge you more.
Image source: U_Have_Issues
#33
Crystal healing, religion, and horoscopes. How are we still buying this bulls**t with the internet out there.
Image source: DefenestrateWindows
#34
Boomers getting free healthcare (Medicare) while voting against anyone else getting it.
Image source: gamechanger112, unsplash
#35
Tipping.
Image source: FalconFox500
#36
I don’t know if they are still around but around 2010, people were buying these “ionic footbaths” that supposedly removed toxins in your body through your feet.
Image source: mr_sweetandawful
#37
Supplements. Because they are considered a food they are not regulated. A recent study found that 25% don’t contain any of the substance it is sold as. About as many others contain actual prescription medicines that are not listed. In the US about 23 000 people a year are hospitalized, have organ failure or need a transplant due to taking unregulated supplements.
Image source: NZT-48Rules, unsplash
#38
Most extended warranties on electronics. Usually you’re paying extra for the warranty and extra on top of that as a “labor cost” of whoever is fixing the device.
Cheaper than a new device? Sure but can still be pricey.
Image source: KingGooma, flickr
#39
Willfully deciding that a week inside the casinos of Vegas sounds like a good vacation.
Image source: YouMightBePregnant, flickr
#40
Premium cables. In order for one hdmi cable to have better quality over another, you’d need hundreds of yards between the source and display. Cat5 vs. Cat 6 makes a difference for high bandwidth companies, not for your cable internet ass. Really the only thing it matters in is phone charging durability. Yes, don’t get the gas station cables if you help it, but if you do, your phone will still charge at the same rate.
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