Avoid fraud, fake deals & hidden charges with these hacks
From gym contracts to diesel stops and even your phone settings, scams and sneaky charges are everywhere. These smart consumer hacks by Wendy Knowler will help you dodge fraud, avoid fake deals and keep more rands in your pocket
1. Gym Contracts: Avoid the costly traps.
Gyms profit from unused memberships, with only 20% of members regularly attending, insiders say.
That means gyms are mostly funded by those who are paying gym membership fees but rarely, if ever, step into a gym.
Avoid three-year deals unless you’re a dedicated gym-goer, because cancellation penalties - often up to 70-80% of remaining fees - can sting.
Instead, opt for the shortest contract term possible, no matter what the salesperson says, because for most, that works out the cheapest.
Never sign up for a gym that hasn’t opened yet, no matter how appealing the “introductory offer”.
And know this: contracts don’t end on expiry but roll over to month-to-month unless you cancel in writing with a month’s notice.
2. Spam: How to make it stop!
Are you being spammed by a company even though you’ve repeatedly unsubscribed or instructed the company to remove you from their mailing lists?
Here’s what you can do: lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator, which regulates the Protection of Personal Info (POPI) Act.
The more complaints they get about a company from the public, the more likely it is that they’ll act.
On the Info Regulator’s website, you will find a complaint form.
3. Before you let a tow truck operator leave an accident scene with your car, know this…
Did you know that a police officer can order a towing operator to move your vehicle off the roadway at no cost? You then choose who tows it from the accident scene.
If you are insured, contact your insurer to confirm whether or not the towing company wanting to hook up your car is on their approved list.
If you are uninsured, know you’ll be responsible for paying the towing and storage fees. The towing operator may tell you the other party’s insurance company will cover your tow, but that’s a lie, intended to trick you into giving them consent to tow your car.
Other ways to protect yourself: Record verbal agreements, check towing fees on the operator’s form, and confirm the tow destination. Get a copy of the form. If the operator refuses to confirm details, don’t allow the tow.
4. Avoid paying premium prices for diesel
Drivers of diesel cars, you will know that while the price of petrol is government-regulated, the price of diesel is not, so it pays to shop around. On long trips, you pay premium prices for diesel at those big fuel stops right next to major freeways. But venture a kilometre or two into the town alongside that freeway and you’ll find a small fuel station, selling diesel for quite a bit less per litre. That’s where the locals go to fill up.
While you're there, and this applies to all vehicles, have your tyre pressure checked. Low pressure reduces fuel economy and tyre longevity.
Oh, and the biggest external drag on fuel efficiency are bikes attached vertically to roof racks.
5. Beware: A default feature on your smartphone could allow fraudsters access to your bank accounts
A Cape Town man returned to his car after kitesurfing to find that his cellphone, bank cards and driver’s licence were gone.
Later he discovered that R118 000 of his money was gone, too.
Turns out the fraudsters were able to access his bank accounts because when they set up payments on his banking profile, his bank sent SMSs with One-Time-Pins (OTP) to his cellphone - which they had.
And despite the phone being locked, those SMS-es scrolled across that locked screen.
Trouble is, those scrolling preview messages are a default setting on most new smartphones, so it’s best to disable that feature.
And if you haven’t done so already, consider switching to virtual cards, which can be used online or linked to digital wallets, providing both convenience and increased protection against fraud related to lost or stolen physical cards.
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Get in touch with Wendy via her website or her Facebook page. Please note that Wendy is not able to personally respond to every email she receives. If she is able to take up your case, she will contact you directly. Here are other avenues for you to consider