How to avoid scams
Check that a person or business is real before any money changes hands.
Found something suspicious? Use the Report link on the listing or deal, or tell us through the contact page with all the details. Before you send money or card details to anyone, look into the company or check it with the Better Business Bureau.
We don't tolerate scams
We take this seriously and work hard to keep what's on the site real. If we find that someone is trying to scam our readers, we block their account and remove everything they've posted.
Do
- Meet in person and look at an item before you take it or pay for anything.
- Ignore anything that seems too good to be true. It most likely is.
- Call a business to check that a sale or coupon is real.
- Research a company online, for example with the Better Business Bureau, before taking a “work at home” job with it.
- Get everything in writing, and report anything suspicious to us.
Don't
- Don't send money through wire services, payment apps or gift cards to someone you haven't met.
- Don't accept cashier's checks or money orders from people you don't know.
- Don't pay shipping, delivery or “paperwork” charges for something advertised as free. Free stuff here is always free.
- Don't trust someone just because they say they're out of the country and need your help.
- Don't give out your Social Security number, card or bank account number, or your mother's maiden name.
- Don't pay a deposit on a rental before you have the keys.
- Don't send money to a “work at home” employer.
- Don't let your emotions decide. Scammers tell touching stories to get your money, and the stories are almost always made up.
Where scams are most common
We don't carry these categories on PennySaver USA, but you'll see them elsewhere online, and they're where scammers work hardest:
- Pets, especially puppies of popular breeds.
- Vehicles. Never buy one without seeing it in person and inspecting it.
- Work-at-home jobs. Do your research before you take one.
- Houses and apartments for rent. Get everything in writing, and don't pay until you have the key in your hand.
What a scam message looks like
The sad story. Someone offers something free or nearly free, like puppies, because of a recent death in the family. The message asks personal questions (where you live, your phone number), promises the item is yours, and then says you only need to pay a small fee, such as $150 for “change of ownership papers”.
The fake buyer. A vague message asks whether “the advert” is still for sale and what condition the item is in, without saying what the item is. It's usually the start of an overpayment or fake-check scam.
Where to report a scam or check a company
- Federal Trade Commission: report fraud, 877-382-4357
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service, for scams through the mail
- National Consumers League Fraud Center
- Better Business Bureau, to look up a company
- Call For Action, free help with consumer problems
In California
- Contractors State License Board, 800-321-2752
- Structural Pest Control Board, 800-737-8188
- Department of Consumer Affairs, 800-952-5210
Meeting a neighbor?
See our help and safety tips for how to meet safely.