Subscription Scam • Report Issues. Protect your community. • Safely HQ (2024)

FAQs

Is subscription payment email a scam? ›

If you get an email prompting you to renew any subscriptions you have, don't click any links in the email. It could be a scam. The Better Business Bureau has received reports of scammers who are impersonating businesses and trying to trick consumers into paying to renew subscriptions with those businesses.

The FTC sues scammers and works to shut them down. When you report a scam to the FTC, investigators use your information to build cases against scammers. Other law enforcement agencies can see the reports, too, and use them to further their own investigations. Your story makes a difference.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

ReportFraud.ftc.gov is the federal government's website where you can report fraud, scams, and bad business practices.

There are a few reasons. Sometimes it's a simple prank, a mischievous act with no real harm intended. Other times, it can be more sinister. Some cyber attackers use this technique to distract you from important emails, like notifications of unauthorized transactions.

Essentially it's a form of abuse caused by spambots submitting fraudulent information through forms on websites. "Scammers are using different scripts, and running them on the internet and finding different newsletters, forums, subscription services, things you can use your email address to sign up for," O'Rork said.

The easiest way to become a victim of a bank scam is to share your banking info — e.g., account numbers, PIN codes, social security number — with someone you don't know well and trust. If someone asks for sensitive banking details, proceed with caution.

Once scammers get a hold of you, they'll continue calling. Blocking their numbers helps avoid scenarios in which you accidentally answer again. Monitor your credit and identity for signs of fraud. A scam call can be a gateway to identity theft.

If you've been scammed or suspect that someone is attempting to scam you or someone you know, you should always report it. Don't feel embarrassed or ashamed.

The short answer is: it depends. While getting a refund after losing money to scammers is possible, the outcome depends on factors like bank policy, the type of scam, the amount lost, and how quickly the scam was reported. According to US federal law, banks must reimburse you for unauthorized transactions.

What happens if you report a scammer? ›

Why: Your reports can help us detect patterns of wrongdoing, and lead to investigations and prosecutions. The FTC enters reports it receives into Consumer Sentinel, a secure online database that is used by civil and criminal law enforcement authorities worldwide.

A paid newsletter is an exclusive newsletter made by a company or creator that people pay to receive via email. People can pay for these newsletters on a monthly or even yearly basis. Now you might wonder what the difference is between a free and paid newsletter.

What happens if you click an unsubscribe link from a spam email? If the email is actually a phishing scam, clicking unsubscribe may start a download that will infect your device with malware, or it may take you to a malicious website.

Open an email from the sender you want to unsubscribe from. Next to the sender's name, click Unsubscribe. In the pop-up, click Unsubscribe.

The good news is that you're not immediately in danger of identity theft if scammers have your email address. But you're still far from being completely safe. For example, criminals can send you phishing emails to get the passwords to your email, bank, or other online accounts.