Rockford BBB: Watch Out For Summer Scams

Our friend Dennis Horton, Director of the Rockford Regional Office of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) just dropped me a note about scams that appear in the Rockford area on a seasonal basis.

Summer is one of the busiest times for concerts, summer rentals, and outdoor activities. It’s also one of the busiest times for scammers because they know people are looking to spend money on summer fun, especially when a good deal can be had.

Whether you’re planning a summer vacation, buying tickets to see your favorite artist or working on home repairs this summer, scammers follow seasonal trends,” says Dennis Horton, director of the Rockford Regional Office of the Better Business Bureau. “It’s so important to do careful research before paying for anything or providing personal or financial information.

So, what should we be on the lookout for?

Concert and festival tickets

Tickets for indoor and outdoor summer concerts are hot. But before you look into purchasing, be aware of phony sellers and ticket scams. Check for top rated ticket sellers on bbb.org or buy only directly from the venue. Never has it been easier for scammers to make very real looking counterfeits. Red flags include:

Tickets sold on unsecured third-party sites rather than the venue or festival website.
Sellers who share sad tales of why they have to sell their tickets.
Anyone requesting a money transfer as payment.
Pressure to buy tickets fast.
Too good to be true prices.

Door-to-door sales

Warmer weather brings everyone outdoors, including door-to-door salesmen. Complaints are rolling into the BBB Scam Tracker warning of fake utility workers, shoddy repair or landscapers, fake air conditioning and home alarm inspectors. Watch out for: