Local Stories by Local People
updated: Feb 18, 2013, 12:00 PM

The Santa Barbara Better Business Bureau says a scheme involving a "mystery shopper" is ripping off consumers around the country.

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

SBJULES	2013-02-18 12:13 PM
Is Spain the new Nigeria?
COMMENT 375754	2013-02-18 12:50 PM
I really don't see how anyone could be dumb enough to fall for that.
COMMENT 375760	2013-02-18 01:08 PM
A fool and his (or her) money are soon parted.
COMMENT 375779	2013-02-18 01:43 PM
Anyone dumb enough to fall for this deserves it; it would be a lesson to them, and is not without humor.
COMMENT 375783	2013-02-18 01:50 PM
779, a lot of people who fall for things like this are elderly or people with dementia, or even folks who just don't have a lot of life experience. It's not really funny and nobody 'deserves' to be scammed. That's just wrong.
COMMENT 375787	2013-02-18 01:54 PM
This scheme is as old as the hills. You don't have to be dumb to fall for it, just greedy.
COMMENT 375815P	2013-02-18 03:01 PM
783, and these folks are exactly who this scam is aimed at making this crime even more heinous.
COMMENT 375826	2013-02-18 03:18 PM
@787 has it nailed. It's greed that gets the fools in trouble. They get so blinded by the chance to get something for nothing that they throw logic out the window. Instead of trying to find flaws with the scheme/scam, they put all of their effort into convincing themselves it's legit.
COMMENT 375850	2013-02-18 04:36 PM
This is a scam t get people to watch KEYT.
COMMENT 376018	2013-02-19 08:21 AM
BBB is one of the biggest scams around. Google BBB pay to play. I guess they don't like scammer competition.
COMMENT 376126	2013-02-19 11:21 AM
BBB called me unsolicited one day, said for $1400 my business would become "accredited A+". They said if I didn't, they would list me as non accredited with a lower grade. Sounded like extortion and when I said to send the paperwork which I would forward to my attorney, they hung up.
COMMENT 376196	2013-02-19 01:19 PM
Any time you receive a check and are asking to send money some where, ALWAYS ask your Banker! They can tell you exactly what scams are going around and what NOT to do. Otherwise, yes, you definitely owe the bank back the money that you sent off.
COMMENT 376253P	2013-02-19 03:07 PM
the BBB is the real scam here. using them as a source for your news is damaging to your credibility.
COMMENT 376320	2013-02-19 05:27 PM
I am elderly (75) and would not ever fall for the dumb schemes going around. I have never thouht you could get something for nothing. Old does not mean senile. Greed not age is the culprit.

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