20 Common Things That Are Actually Scams, As Shared In This Online Thread

Scams run online and offline. We usually recognize online ones because we tend to use the Internet in today’s time. Those scams could be in the form of asking for payment in bitcoin, gift cards, or any empty threats. Offline scams also exist. For example, scales in supermarkets can be manipulated to display a higher measure, thus, the customer is charged extra.

#1

Image source: throwaway3544219, wikipedia

Anyone – A-N-Y-O-N-E – promising to teach you the secrets of becoming wealthy at a free seminar.

I have a family member that got sucked into the Kiyosaki b******t vortex. It’s a damn cult.

#2

Astrology

Source: csabiakiraly69

#3

Nazism and all the similarly crazy racial supremacy ideologies. Not only do they sell on ideas that are demonstrably false (that certain ethnicities are both an omnipresent enemy that controls the world and cause everything bad but who also are in all ways inferior to the “master race”) but if they ever win – congratulations loyal brownshirt, you are now a peon under a regime that uses extreme violence to solve issues both real and imaginary. Nothing to gain and everything to lose.

Source: Ornery_Marionberry87

#4

Image source: neoben00, freestocks.org

Pretty much all youtube ads these days. If it starts with “this one trick can” or anything like “doctors hate this” doctors hate it because they have to explain green tea doesn’t cure typeone diabetes. Tbh its flat out dangerous false advertising but youtube doesn’t care.

#5

Paying for college in the United States.

College tuition is a full-on scam in the U.S. The thing I hate about the current educational system in the United States is that it is designed to put a college student in debt. As of 2022-2023, the average a student can expect to pay for one year’s in-state tuition, school-related expenses, and fees is $25,707 at a four-year state university, and for an out-of-state student it’s $43,421. As of 2022, the maximum amount of Federal Pell Grant money a student can get [per year is only $6895. That leaves the in-state student with $18,812 they have to cover somehow–and that almost always means borrowing the money. As a result, it’s common to see a student graduate college with a bachelor’s degree, and well over $50,000-$60,000 in debt that they’ll have to start paying off about six months after they get out of college. The government knows this, and the lending institutions know this. Students are actively getting screwed by this system.

Source: driving_andflying

#6

Diamonds… engagement rings in general as well. What a racket.

Source: skalives

#7

Image source: jinkies3678, Magda Ehlers

Essential oils, and anything claiming to “detox” you, like you don’t already have a liver.

#8

Tips. Companies need to pay people fair wages. Period.

Source: AlienBentOver

#9

Image source: IndigoFenix, cottonbro

Online dating services with monthly subscriptions. Any business that gets more money by failing than succeeding will be designed to fail, succeeding *just* enough to make users feel as though they can succeed. Basically the same principle as casinos.

#10

Multi-level marketing. We see it ruin families and turn people into vapid shells of their old selves all the time, but somehow these schemes are still up

Source: onetinysquid

#11

The Jehovah’s Witness religion. Its definitely a cult, I was raised in the religion until my 20s.

Dont recommend joining them

Source: Havok1717

#12

Image source: MyWorkAccountMSA, Hush Naidoo Jade Photography

US health care system

#13

Image source: 0wlBear916, Anton

Kids iPhone/iPad games. My kid is downloading these “free” games that constantly ask her to buy an extra skin or a treasure box of thousands of coins to upgrade and keep playing. It’s really scummy because they know exactly who their audience is, children who have no concept of money.

#14

Image source: MoochtheMushroom, Dylan Gillis

The credit score system.

How it should work: pay back loans early/on time, higher score. Don’t pay back loans or pay back late, lower score.

How it actually works: Pay back a loan too quick, score goes down. Open an account, score goes down. CLOSE an account, score goes down. You even ask for a copy of your credit report, your score goes down. It’s ridiculous.

It’s not about your reliability, it’s about how profitable you are to creditors looking to milk interest payments as long as possible.

#15

Payday loan businesses. Straight up predatory legal loansharking. It’s gross.

Source: 1980pzx

#16

Image source: Hogtown-Horror

Planned obsolescence

#17

Image source: invalidpassword, Akira Hojo

Mega Church tithing.

#18

Image source: deja_vuvuzela, Lukas

We can’t give you a raise yet because (X), but if you work hard and prove your competency, there will be a raise next year.

#19

Working 40 hrs a week until you are 65 so you can finally enjoy life.

Source: Germa-Rican

#20

Image source: Girlrockpearl, Pixabay

Low stakes but bikinis. There is no way that little fabric/stitching should be like $80 for each individual piece ?