Three for Thursday 12.17.2020
Welcome to TrustDALE's Three For Thursday with Consumer Investigator Dale Cardwell.
Have you ever heard the term "permission marketing? According to author Seth Godin, it's "a non-traditional marketing technique that advertises goods and services when advance consent is given." In other words, a seller "asks" if you'd like to be pitched. The problem is, too many marketers hide the permission in the guise of something else you might really want and so you click, though you didn't expect to get on their email list forever. This is one reason TrustDALE NEVER requires your personal information. It's getting harder and harder to not get "pitched" involuntarily. You did choose to get this weekly email because you're part of our TrustDALE community. Thank you!
Watch this Investigation
This week's link is a treat... Our TV show "Holiday Scams." Watch, because This Could Happen to You!
Ask Dale
Today's Real Consumer Question is from Michael: "Dale, my wife and I were shopping in the Bahamas and got a real hard sell from a cosmetics company - and spent $4,000 dollars! Have you heard of this happening to others? Oh yea Michael, watch!
Todays Lesson on how to be a Savvy Consumer!
Today's seven-point lesson is on recognizing the signs of a hard or pushy sale:
Fast - Do they want your money NOW? They absolutely do!
Funds - - Is the investment required relevant to the promised payoff? If not, it's likely too good to be true. Look out for drastic discounts on the spot. That's fishy and pushy.
Found - A person who intends to rip you off will make certain he can't be found after he gets your money. Like Michael's example in the Bahamas (above) tourists are targets of hard sales techniques.
Ensure - Your deal with an Ethical negotiation, an Equitable contract and an Effective Guarantee. "Hard" sellers don't want you to read the contract - and very often there is NO contract.
Authenticate - Your deal by requesting References, checking Reviews, and examining government and watchdog reports. "Hard" sellers don't want you to get references or read reviews. In fact, they often change the name of their businesses to escape harsh reviews.
Legitimize your deal by determining if the company has a business license, liability insurance and is Lawsuit and background checked. "Hard" sellers are less likely to have these safeguards, so check before you pay!
SCAMMERS BEWARE: SEASONED CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR DALE CARDWELL GIVES READERS A GAME PLAN TO AVOID RIP-OFFS