Better Business Bureau launches campaign to help Borderland residents avoid scams
EL PASO, Texas -- The Better Business Bureau Paso del Norte chapter is working with law enforcement and community partners to dedicate the week of Oct. 21-26, 2019, to BBBWare Week.
It's a week with the goal to bring attention to a number of important consumer protection issues and offer information on how consumers, including businesses, may protect themselves from predators.
The organization is focused this week on warning consumers about phone and internet scams, charitable donation and political contribution scams, consumer fraud and deceptive business practices, used car sale scams and scams that affect seniors.
The launch kicked off at the El Paso City Council meeting October 15 with a proclamation for the week.
Some simple tips to avoid scams include never sending money to strangers, avoiding mysterious links online, avoiding transactions online unless the transaction is secure, never sharing personally identifiable information with someone who has contacted you unsolicited and being cautious about what you share on social media. Many scammers may seem kind and professional.
"I just thought I would have never been taken in, but I was," El Paso resident Margie Melby said. Melby was a victim of scam after giving two credit card numbers to a woman on the phone claiming to be from AT&T. "I think it was because she was one of the sweetest, loveliest people, and they really did scam me."
Representatives from the Better Business Bureau of Paso del Norte say scams can affect anyone.
"Victims often feel that they should have known better or x, y and z, but the scammers are so sophisticated that even the savviest of businesses and consumers are getting scammed every single day," Marybeth Stevens, President of Better Business Bureau of Paso del Norte, said.
