Don't Get Scammed By Look-Alike Bills

SEATTLE - My accountant, Britt Smith is a really smart guy. So when he got a "renewal notice" in the mail that offered him "one of the lowest available rates" on a 2-year subscription to US News & World Report for only $99.50, he knew it was bogus.

This renewal notice wasn't from the magazine, but from an independent magazine clearinghouse that is not associated with the publisher. I checked into the great rate they were offering Britt.

Guess what? It was $60 more than what the magazine charges!

My boss here at KOMO 1000 News, Dennis Kelly, brought me a mailing he received that looked like a bill for an "annual website search engine listing." With all the paperwork that gets thrown on his desk each day, Dennis could have easily mistaken this solicitation for a bill that needed to be paid. Luckily, he didn't.

But that's what the companies sending out these notices count on. They're hoping you'll assume that if it looks like a bill, it must be a bill, even if somewhere in the fine print that it's not a bill, just an offer.

So how do you protect yourself?

Take your time when paying your bills, question things that don't seem right, and be on the for these bogus look-alike bills.

For More Information:

www.ftc.gov

www.bbb.org

www.ftc.gov