Humans are wired to go with the flow. We want to feel like a part of the group, so we often shrug off things that look like scams and don’t even cross our minds that someone is trying to scam us.
Celebrity endorsements on social media, think-of-a-breed dogs from disreputable breeders, and work from freelance platforms online are just a few examples of seemingly normal things that people call out as scams.
RELATED STORIES
So when Reddit user diligent-log6805 asked “What’s a modern day scam that’s become normalized and we don’t realize it’s a scam anymore?”, they probably didn’t expect the thread to get 68.3k upvotes. From celebrity endorsements to fake businesses that have a monopoly in their area, here are some of the best answers.
Censored subscriptions
People are sharing modern day scams where it is almost impossible to cancel a subscription, with many of them being forced to resort to rudeness. Various people mentioned their own experiences involving companies, such as “FREE” in France and SiriusXM, who have ridiculous cancelation policies requiring them to mail a letter or call multiple times.
Don’t pay for *performing a task*?!
Commenter expressed frustration over being charged a service fee for buying cinema, concert and sport event tickets online, which has become a common norm. Replies suggested the use of ‘convenience fee’ as a new tool to charge customers who take the online route instead of going to the box office. Commenters raised questions about why they should pay for something they can do themselves.
Sneaky small subscriptions
The commenter is concerned about modern day subscription scams, where consumers pay for an app or game many times over. A reply agrees that this practice is unsustainable and is worse for the consumer.
Tech devices & subscriptions
People are discussing the modern day scams that involve people buying tech devices at premium prices which then require them to pay expensive subscriptions to make use of their features. Replies discuss examples such as enterprise IT gear, Cricut, and motorcycle riders airbag vest. People express their outrage and disgust at the companies behind these scams.
Are you being scammed?
The commenter is discussing the scam of charging a ‘convenience fee’ for paying rent online. The commenter feels that it is more convenient for the landlords, yet they are passing the buck onto their tenants. Comment replies suggest alternative ways to pay rent without having to pay the fee.
Beware of ‘admin fees’
People are sharing modern day scams that have become normalized in the form of ‘admin fees’: In Australia, toll roads without an account may incur additional $10-$20 admin fees. Software developed by the state also has an associated admin fee. Everyone should be aware of these hidden fees in order to save money.
Modern day scams
People are discussing modern day scams, with many commenting that medical insurance often does not cover dental or vision. One example is preventative tests being covered while others are not. The replies bring up people having to pay out of pocket for dental procedures because the insurance deemed them cosmetic, as well as a comedic response saying preventative tests are luxurious and unnecessary.
Resort fees: or ?
People are fed up with paying additional fees for amenities they don’t even use. One customer saved $120 by politely asking the front desk to reverse the charge after they found out the fee wasn’t included in the booking. A-holes no more! ♀️
Another scam: Paid apps turned free
Nobody enjoys it when companies bait them into buying an app only to switch to free with ads and make you pay for the classic version. This scam has unfortunately become so normalized that people are sharing it on social media.
Are corporations’ ruining the economy?
Corporations are buying up homes on a large scale, leading to an increase in prices for other homes they own and potentially doing damage to the economy. A reply shared an example of how Ireland is being ‘ridiculously f**ked’ by this coupled with AirBnBs.
Is it right to pay fees when using online banking?
The comment talks about how transaction fees when using online banking are sometimes a given, but does not feel it’s right to be charged a fee for doing all the work.
Discovering surprise costs!
A comment details the outrageous markups on printer cartridges, with replies noting other costs associated with this product. Users express shock and surprise at the costs and the associated practices, but don’t seem to have any solutions for reducing the price.
Prices going up?
Stores sometimes increase the price of a product a day before they offer it at a ‘discount’. Germany has taken action against this, while other countries set minimum duration for discounts. Other resources such as Camel Camel Camel and Fake Spot can help buyers identify scams.
Unpaid internships
Unpaid internships have become the norm, to the point where some companies even expect workers to pay for the experience. Worse still, paid internships where the employee is only taking home a token amount are also increasingly common.
Be careful: ⚠️ modern day scams exist!
The comment is about the US medical system, in particular the ambulances. A comment reply reveals that some ambulance companies are not contracted with any insurance companies, possibly to increase their profits.
Don’t be fooled by extended warranties
Extended warranties may seem like a good deal, but make sure to read the fine print to know what is and isn’t being covered. A comment reply also suggests that taking advantage of free extended warranties can be beneficial, as a user had a television which broke after 23 months and was refunded in full.
Fighting insurance companies
The commenter expresses disdain with insurance companies, who they feel fight customers ‘claw and teeth’ to avoid paying out. A reply agrees, pointing out that people often have to pay over $200-300 dollars a month to be faced with a $2000 deductible when needing to access the product they already paid for.
Medical and industries hidden fees
Hidden fees in the medical and hospitality industries have become a common problem. The No Surprises Act attempts to address this by mandating hospitals to post their charges publicly online.
Say no to costly ⚰️
Weddings and funerals can cost up to $30,000 for one day and many people feel that is excessive. Someone replied that funerals are also expensive.
Say no to auto renewal ♀️
People are warning against auto renewal subscriptions that charge after the trial period ends. Some use a virtual credit card to avoid charges, and others mention it’s hard to cancel within the first 7 days of the trial period.
Fascinating scam truths
The comment states that although diamonds are supposed to be rare, there’s loads of them in reality and they are sold for major stacks of money. One of the replies states that diamonds are kept artificially scarce by the people who own the diamond mines, and have somehow managed to prevent any reselling of them, which is diabolical.
Living a healthy work-life balance
Commenter believes that hustle culture with 90 hour work weeks is unhealthy and unsustainable, while one of the replies states that it’s more important to take care of oneself and others, like family and plants.
Parents using kids to
The section comment talks about parents using their kids as bait to advertise products, suggesting the idea of normalization of such scams.
Be aware of ✂️
The comment warns of the costly price of Gillette razor blades and points to the safety razor as an alternative. One reply confirms the advice, praising the safety razor which has fewer financial costs.
Ticketmaster’s sneaky fees
Ticketmaster is infamous for their high fees. People are questioning if they are reasonable or not.
Hidden subscription fees
The commenter exposes the unethical practice of companies rolling over free trial subscriptions to paid ones without the customers’ knowledge or consent. One reply adds that it’s better to assume that anything requiring a credit card will incur a charge at some point.
Unpaid internships: ✋
The comment raises the issue of unpaid internships and how such tasks are often justified with the promise of ‘experience/knowledge/exposure’, when the commenter asserts that their time is worth money, just like everyone else’s.
How manufacturers trick you?
The section’s comment provides an example of a common modern day scam: planned obsolescence. This practice, especially common among printer manufacturers, is where the item stops working after a specific amount of time regardless of condition or the legal warranty. The same technique is now seen with batteries, which have drastically shorter lifespans than before.
People share scams
Credit scores have become a contemporary scam since they started in 1989. A comment replies points out that, even if credit scores are meant to be an indication of how likely it is for an individual to pay off their loan in the future, a**hole aspects such as the “credit mix” still come into play.
Employers and job listings hiding salaries
Employers are illegally insisting that employees don’t talk about their salaries, and job listings are not posting salaries. The comment replies explain these practices involve manipulation and hope to ‘sucker’ overqualified people in. Everyone involved is called out a-hole.
Taking advantage of tax
People are discussing how businesses profit off of doing taxes for citizens, such as tax companies becoming strong lobbyists. Replies mention the irony of the American government not leveraging its power to do taxes for citizens, yet businesses are able to do it for a fee. Additionally, others mention how most employers use payroll systems that could make the process automated.
Monthly services starting to look sketchy
This comment points out the drawbacks of services that require monthly subscriptions. Nobody’s really sure if it’s a scam or not, but the commitment to monthly payments calls for a second look.
Gaining an education
In this section, the comment highlighted how College Board requires money to send scores to a school, highlighting their nonprofit status as questionable. One reply concurred, expressing frustration succinctly with an emoji combination.
Is the bottled water industry a scam?
The comment thinks that the bottled water industry is a scam and is supported by a reply which explains that the industry does not actually make water, but plastic bottles.
Wallet Hollowing
Micro Transactions are small payments made frequently, often tied to a product or activity. Users feel that these small payments add up so quickly, making them feel like they are being taken advantage of.
Scam or Necessity?
The comment points out how owning software has shifted to a subscription-based system. One user lamented the rise in prices, where they now have to pay $126/year to access Microsoft Office for the family, compared to buying a CD with 3 codes for multiple computers in the past.
Holding companies accountable
The comment highlights how the majority of the responsibility for fixing climate change issues lies with normal people, when companies are getting away with behaviors that are damaging the environment. The comment mentions the food industry, engineering sector and the amount of waste generated by them, and expresses a sense of discouragement at the perceived lack of accountability for these companies.
Does tipping go too far?
![Image credit: [deleted] | [deleted]](https://static.diply.com/805a6275-9f74-4ce7-9571-64d52f78b9bc.png)
The comment discusses the issue of tipping, where the author is surprised to be asked to tip 30% while getting their own yogurt at an Apple checkout tablet. One reply suggests that this is only an American problem, and that it’s not the norm to expect people to subsidies poor wages with tips.
Health insurance scams
![Image credit: [deleted] | [deleted]](https://static.diply.com/5a26fd57-4f95-4bed-b417-51a7aff97ac1.png)
Commenter revealed a scam related to health insurance that costs people hundreds of dollars monthly and not even covers bills properly. In reply, the replier shared their own perspective having experienced similar issues in two different countries, outlining the consequences of the scam.
Exploring the US college ✔️
Commenters share their thoughts on the US college educational system and its normalization of scams.
Are juice cleanses + detox teas worth their cost?
A commenter questions whether juice cleanses and detox teas are worth their cost, while a reply suggests drinking more water to stay hydrated.
Data caps: ♀️
People have been calling out data caps imposed by Internet companies as a scam that has become normalized. One reply shared their experience as an employee of a fiber optic distributor, stating that data caps are entirely made up.
Train Scams
Raising credit scores ?
The comment refers to how credit scores have become normalized since the 1980s, and nowadays you can raise your score by signing up for certain services. It was originally intended to indicate how likely someone would be to pay back a loan.
