Infomercials aren’t the only TV scams out there!
TV 3.0 is the next generation of content consumption – social, measurable, on-demand video that is accessible across all devices.
Con artists look for problems and offer false solutions that their victims desperately want, and we desperately want affordable television! Don’t let a deal that sounds too good to be true lure you into TV scam.
Televisions are a primary fixture in homes across the country. It’s where we get our news, our entertainment, our product information, and even our camaraderie with those we live with.
It’s also an opportunity for a wide range of scams.
From false cable and satellite TV subscriptions, to bootleg televisions, to identity theft and those pesky infomercials that promise too much, all things television can become a site for con artistry.
Let’s take a look at some common TV scams to be on the lookout for:
1. That guy in the parking lot with the van full of TVs.
This is a classic confidence trick. You’ll be out in a parking lot, likely near a store that vends TV sets, and a person in a van seemingly full of television sets will try to sell you one. Sometimes, there will be several TVs out and ready to serve as examples, and the con artist will sell the victim a TV and hand them a box filled with pretty much whatever mimics the weight and size of a TV. Then, once the victim gets home and opens the box, there is no TV to be found and the con artist moves onto the next parking lot.
In some cases, the van IS actually full of TV sets. However, these bootleg TVs are likely stolen property and purchasing it yourself can still get you in a heap of legal trouble.
The solution? Buy your next TV from the store or from a trusted online vendor.
2. Internet TV for a One-Time Payment.
Cable and satellite TV subscriptions are costly, which has opened the door to a whole host of scams. The first one comes from viewers flocking to streaming Internet TV in lieu of costly cable or satellite subscriptions. While there are plenty of Internet TV service providers who offer legitimate services, there are a handful of small Internet TV providers who claim to offer hundreds of channels for a one-off payment.
Customers pay for this service and find themselves with limited viewing options and poor-quality channels. Sometimes these providers actually do deliver the hundreds of channels they promised, but in foreign languages.
If you’re opting for Internet TV service, go with a tried and true provider. Make sure you always get reviews from legitimate customers before you purchase.
3. Discounted Satellite and Cable Subscription scams.
Since satellite and cable TV subscriptions are expensive, con artists offer false solutions and reap the payoff. The first con collects your money, the second steals your identity.
It works like this:
Victims get a phone call from a service provider offering a discounted payment deal on satellite or cable TV in the form of a discounted prepayment for service. Some of these scammers pretend to be in business with Amazon, or offer free additional premium channels as part of the deal. The scammer will then tell the victims to buy an Amazon gift card, then contact their “billing department” with the card codes. Of course, the billing department doesn’t actually exist, and neither will your TV service.
The second version of this scam also begins with a phone call and an offer for a discounted prepayment option. However, instead of asking you to pay with an Amazon gift card, they will ask for your credit card information and sometimes even your social security number. The goal of this scam is identity theft.
If you get this phone call, hang up. NO Internet service provider offers a discounted prepayment deal, and NONE of them will ask for you to pay for it with an Amazon gift card.