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How to Spot Counterfeit Coupons

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Counterfeit Coupons

Everybody wants to save money when they are out shopping. One way to get this done is the use of coupons, and apps like Honey have made a killing off of it. Honey’s website even boasts that it has saved $1 billion for consumers thus far, so its safe to say coupons are effective. With that said, there are many scams and counterfeit coupons out on the market, and many ask for your information in order to access them. This is where things get dangerous, and we at Savingadvice are here to help. So, to keep you safe on your journey to frugality, here are the best ways to spot  counterfeit coupons.

Date of Expiration

This one is pretty easy. Many consumers will try to use or sell coupons they found online or in the mail. Oftentimes, these coupons have already expired. Make sure you double-check the date on the coupon, especially the year. You’ll tend to see a lot of holiday coupons from previous years, so don’t fall for the trap.

The Company Involved

Always check a company site before giving any information (or money) for coupons. If a coupon isn’t verifiable on a company website, it (most likely) isn’t legit. This isn’t always the case, but if the coupon requires anything from you aside from entering a code or scanning at the store, don’t take the risk. Coupons are usually a way for companies to get more customers in the door, and they often run in tandem with marketing campaigns. As counter-intuitive as it may seem, companies are going to want you to know if they are having a killer sale.

The Coupon Information Center

The CIC is a convenient resource, and keeps an updated list of scam online coupons. It isn’t updated so frequently that it is perfect, but it can still be a helpful first check when deciding whether to trust something. This whole process should be multi-step, and start with the CIC during your evaluation.

Use Your Common Sense

Just like anything else, you need to trust your instinct with counterfeit coupons. Crude pictures on google images, for example, aren’t going to be the most reliable resources. Weird stipulations or the lack of a company logo are also some good red flags. The biggest red flag is the word “free”. If a coupon offers something for free without the need to purchase anything else, odds are it isn’t real. If it is, it is usually something everybody knows about, and is being publicized pretty widely. If these boxes aren’t checked, avoid the random “freebies”. This is especially true if you don’t really have a good idea of the source of the coupon.

How to Turn Old Clothes Into Cash

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turn old clothes into cash

Is your closet getting a little cramped? At a certain point, you just find yourself glancing into the cotton abyss and there are many things you haven’t worn in months. This becomes especially frustrating when you want to buy new clothes, but you just don’t have the space to store them. Even worse, when you have to move and you realize that boxes actually… cost MONEY? No, this just won’t do. So, we find ourselves needing to offload some clothes, and what kind of savers would we be if we didn’t find a few ways to turn old clothes into cash?

OfferUp

One of the best apps for selling anything, OfferUp provides a clean and simple interface to sell your personal belongings. while not specifically geared for clothes, it is one of the most widely used online resources on this list. The best part about OfferUp is that you probably already have the app on your phone. Putting up an ad is easy, quick, and the analytics are very consumable. Definitely the way to go if you are just trying to get rid of one or two higher-priced items.

Poshmark

Now we are into the clothing-focused secondhand apps. Poshmark is a favorite among most of the secondhand sellers I know, as you get to personalize your own online storefront. Not only this, but they make the shipping process super easy. After a purchase is made by a customer, you are sent a prepaid shipping label and you send it off. You can use Poshmark for all varieties of clothing (even menswear) and you’ll get plenty of attention. Poshmark is the perfect upfront fee-less option for somebody who is really trying to empty their closet. One major downside, though, is the 20% cut they take if you do sell something. As a result, it is usually a better idea to post higher-end items here as well.

thredUP

As far as online consignment goes, thredUP is an absolute titan. With thredUP, you can post items for sale, recycling, or even donation. They are the quickest way to get rid of all your clothes, and the process is very simple. You pay your two-dollar fee, receive your bag and prepaid shipping label, and send your clothes off to them. Just like that, you’ve freed up all the closet space you need. After about a month, you will find out exactly how much money thredUP will give you for the ability to resell your clothes. They won’t always be willing to sell everything you send, and you can pay $11 to take back those unwanted items, or just allow them to recycle them for you for free. So, if your primary goal is to get rid of a lot of clothes, and you don’t mind only taking in a bit of cash, thredUP is your play. With that said, keep in mind they only accept menswear as donations.

Popeyes Chicken Sandwich Made Social Media Go Crazy

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If you didn’t know, Popeyes chicken sandwich has been trending for the last few weeks. The new sandwich was released earlier this month to compete with Chick-Fil-A’s classic chicken sandwich. While fast-food sandwiches in and of themselves aren’t newsworthy, the social media frenzy for a food item was unparalleled.

Brand Loyalty?

Social media users recorded videos, commented, and shared posts debating if the new chicken sandwich at Popeyes tastes better than Chick-Fil-A’s. The only differences between the sandwiches are Popeyes’ use of a mayonnaise sauce and brioche bun. Both sandwiches contain fried chicken breast with pickles.

Major brands and users flooded every platform, sharing their love for one sandwich or the other, or trying to add another competitor into the mix. Known for its comical twitter feed, Wendy’s threw its hat into the ring in the battle of best chicken sandwich. McDonald’s avoided the taste test by merely stating it was the more affordable option. Both Popeyes and Chick-Fil-A’s twitter feeds seem to take subtle jabs at each other.

Arguments ensued, and society was able to see brand loyalty at its mightiest. Also, the sheer volume of media encouraged consumers to try the sandwich, even if they don’t usually eat at Popeyes.

Downside of Popularity

All of the social media interaction may have worked too well. Long lines at Popeyes restaurants blocked traffic and cause massive delays. The company sold out of its seven-week supply of chicken sandwiches in two weeks, upsetting customers further. First, they were confused about how it was possible to run out of chicken. The main menu item is chicken, so this seems like poor planning. However, how could management expect the sandwich to be in such high demand?

Second, they were concerned because Popeyes didn’t provide an estimated timeline for replenishment in its apology. Again, many users took to social media to express their displeasure and threats to take their money to Chick-Fil-A. Others tried to resell their sandwiches for hundreds of dollars as many complained of locations having sold out.

Unfortunately, the employees had not prepared for the success of the sandwich beyond the limited inventory. Many worked 60-hour weeks and made hundreds of sandwiches. There were reports of customers bullying employees for not efficiently handling the large number of customers. There was a photograph of a worn-out employee that circulated, underlining the stress that accompanied a simple sandwich.

Effect on the Market

Chick-Fil-A is a privately-owned company, but Popeyes’ parent company, Restaurant Brands International (QSR) has recently been gaining steam. Some believe this is due to its foray into plant-based meat since Popeyes makes up only 12% of the brand. Restaurant Brands also owns Burger King and Tim Horton’s.

Jim Cramer says the real winner in the chicken sandwich battle is Tyson Foods (TSN), a primary meat processor. As the demand for fast-food chicken sandwiches increases, undoubtedly, the providers will benefit. The stock has been steadily rising for the past eight months.

Was the sandwich worth all of the excitement? I don’t believe so. I tried the sandwich for myself. While tasty, I was not overly impressed. However, there are people all over the country that would disagree. Will you try the sandwich when it is in stock?

Read More

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3 Ways to Use a Rotisserie Chicken for Dinner

Don’t Let Your Restaurant Inventory Lose You Money

Mark Zuckerberg Switches Focus to Facebook User Privacy

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Facebook user privacy

Is social media past its prime? Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg thinks the needs of SoMe users are changing. Because of this, the popular social media site is taking a look at how to increase Facebook user privacy.

People are looking to connect in the world’s virtual “living room,” whereas Facebook is is more of a “town square” experience in present. Here are the changes Zuckerberg is looking to make.

Increasing Facebook User Privacy

The latest set of changes announced by Zuckerberg in a post on Wednesday reflects the change in the behavior of social media users. In the post, Facebook’s creator and CEO said his main focus since the launch of the site has been addressing the needs of users on the site. Zuckerberg stated:

Over the last 15 years, Facebook and Instagram have helped people connect with friends, communities, and interests in the digital equivalent of a town square. But people increasingly also want to connect privately in the digital equivalent of the living room. As I think about the future of the internet, I believe a privacy-focused communications platform will become even more important than today’s open platforms. Privacy gives people the freedom to be themselves and connect more naturally, which is why we build social networks.
What Zuckerberg is referring to is the growing popularity of closed Facebook groups, private messaging, group messaging, as well as communicating one-on-one and within small communities.

Changes Being Made

Facebook user privacy

Later in his post, Zuckerberg went on to detail specific changes the platform is expecting to make. Here is how he outlined them.

  • Private interactions. Everyone should have the ability to easily communicate in a private space where no one else can see what they share. For this, Facebook executives are focusing on the development of WhatsApp to create a place where users can privately chat.
  • Encryption. Facebook developers will be working on integrating end-to-end encryption within its apps. All private communications (messages and calls) will be secured. Zuckerberg noted there will be challenges in keeping those who desire to do bad to not use encrypted messaging to do any harm. However, with time, this will add to the overall user experience, safety, and privacy.
  • Safety. Facebook aims to do everything it can to keep users safe while using its services, within the limits of the encrypted service.
  • Reducing permanent posts. Messages and stories won’t be available forever. Social media has a way of creeping up on people. So, anything shared to stories or via message won’t be available any longer than you want them to be.
  • Inoperability. Right now, if you want to message someone on Instagram, you have to direct message them. On Facebook, you use Messenger. In WhatsApp, you use the app. Facebook is hoping to integrate these platforms in a way where you can communicate seamlessly (and securely) between the apps.
  • Secure data storage. Zuckerberg points out in the post that the best way to secure your data is not to store it. Plain and simple. For this reason, Zuckerberg and his team have decided not to store encryption keys on any of their sites moving forward.

Can Social Media Really Be ‘Private?’

Both Facebook and its sister site Instagram have helped millions of people connect with friends, family, and different communities around the world. Since its launch, Facebook has been a public platform. More recently, its users have begun to shift their desire to more private, intimate communications.

Zuckerberg plans to make the changes mentioned above because he believes privacy-focused communication is the future of social media platforms like Facebook. However, he isn’t ignorant to the irony of Facebook focusing on privacy either.

I understand that many people don’t think Facebook can or would even want to build this kind of privacy-focused platform — because frankly we don’t currently have a strong reputation for building privacy protective services, and we’ve historically focused on tools for more open sharing. But we’ve repeatedly shown that we can evolve to build the services that people really want, including in private messaging and stories.
I believe the future of communication will increasingly shift to private, encrypted services where people can be confident what they say to each other stays secure and their messages and content won’t stick around forever. This is the future I hope we will help bring about.
All of these changes will be made slowly over time, as with any other Facebook update. Zuckerberg will continue to communicate with users about upcoming changes to the world’s favorite social media platform.

Facebook Stock Performance

Facebook Inc. (FB) closed the day on Wednesday, March 6 at $172.51 (+1.25). This is a six-month high on the stock market for the social media website. After recent privacy scandals, it seems Facebook may have finally found a way to recover: focus on regaining the confidence of its users.

Readers, what do you think about the latest changes to increase Facebook user privacy?

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Here’s Why You Should Steer Clear of the Secret Sister Gift Exchange

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secret sister gift exchange

If you use Facebook or other social media sites, there’s a good chance you’ve seen posts about the secret sister gift exchange circulating around Christmas time for the past few years. But if you’ve been wondering what it’s about, or even thinking about getting involved, you should think again. The secret sister gift exchange is a hoax, and participating in it is illegal.

What is the Secret Sister Gift Exchange?

This popular gift exchange asks participants to send a gift valued at $10 or more to one other participant, promising that they’ll receive up to 36 gifts in return. All for a minimal $10 purchase from Amazon! But before you succumb to temptation and start scouring the Internet for a suitable trinket to send to a stranger, you need to know that there’s a good chance you’ll never see even a single gift in return – much less more than 30 of them.

How the Secret Sister Gift Exchange Works – Allegedly

Posts inviting users to participate in secret sister gift exchanges appear around the holidays on Reddit, Facebook, and other social media sites and online forums. If you express interest in the exchange, you’ll get a message that looks something like this:

“Who’s ready to spread some holiday cheer? Let’s participate in a holiday gift exchange. Here’s how it works:

1) Send a gift valued at $10 or more to secret sister #1 on the list below.

2) Take secret sister #1’s name off the list, and move secret sister #2 to that spot.

3) Put your name and address in slot #2.

4) Forward the updated message to six more ladies.

5) Copy the secret sister gift exchange invite that I posted to my wall and paste it to your own wall. If you can’t do this within a week, let me know, because it isn’t fair to the other ladies who have participated and are waiting to receive their gifts. Order a gift from Amazon and send it to your secret sister, and soon you’ll get 36 gifts back! You should start getting gifts in about two weeks if you send your letters out six people ASAP.

Sounds easy, right? And even if you don’t get any gifts back, you’re only out $10, right? Well, you’re not only unlikely to receive any gifts, but the people you invite to join probably won’t receive any gifts if they participate, either.

The Problem with Secret Sister

There’s one big reason you shouldn’t participate in secret sister gift exchanges – they’re a pyramid scheme. Only the first participants will receive any gifts. That’s because an astronomical number of people would need to participate for everyone to receive the 36 gifts usually promised by these hoaxes.

By the time you reach the fourth level of participation, you’d need to have 1,300 people sending $10 gifts in order for everyone to get 36; by the time you reach the sixth level, you’d need a sports arena to hold them all. By the seventh level, you need to recruit as many people as live in Washington, D.C. and Houston, TX combined; by the 11th level, you need to have everyone in the U.S. getting in on it. That’s not going to happen.

Of course, there’s a bigger issue with secret sister exchanges than just not getting your presents. They’re illegal under the Postal Lottery Statute. Secret sister gift exchanges are a modern take on the chain letter, in which similar messages were circulated through the mail back in the good old days. Chain letters are a form of gambling, and they’re illegal if they ask participants to send money or items of value.

Other Fun Gift Exchanges to Try Instead

So, if you get invited to participate in a secret sister gift exchange, don’t do it. Even if you think the cost of participating is negligible, you’re more likely to receive Christmas gifts from Santa Claus himself than to receive anything from your secret sisters. Let your friends and family know that they, too, should avoid the secret sister gift exchange.

If you still have a burning need to exchange holiday gifts with a stranger over the internet, consider trying Reddit’s Secret Santa gift exchange. You’ll just be giving and receiving one gift, but you won’t be breaking the law. If you’re not super invested in getting a gift back, consider purchasing something for Angel Tree or another local holiday gift drive. Instead of throwing your money away on a pyramid scheme, you could make the holiday much brighter for someone in need.

Have you participated in any online gift exchanges? Let us know in the comments below.

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Common Bitcoin Scams And How to Avoid Them

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bitcoin scams

How do you know a given technology has arrived? When the scammers start to show up.  Since the introduction of Bitcoin in 2009, nearly $11 million has been stolen in numerous bitcoin scams. Despite having been prominent in the news, many people are still not familiar with digital currencies and can’t recognize common Bitcoin scams when they see them.

For investors who want to safely get into Bitcoin, this is the article for you.

There are a lot of different bitcoin scams. This article discuss four: fradulent wallets, brand impersonators, fake mining operations and Ponzi schemes.

1. Fraudulent Wallets

A fraudulent wallet is a Bitcoin application designed to look official in order to steal from you. Numerous fraud Bitcoin wallets enter and leave the market every day from credible stores on the Android and Apple platforms. These wallets upload malware along with their bogus application, allowing hackers access to critical information like your bank account and any Bitcoins you obtain. One way to avoid fraudulent wallets is to go with a well-known application like Ledger Nano, Trezor or Coinbase. You can also ask around.

2. Brand Impersonators

Brand impersonation is commonly used in Bitcoin scams. The scam works like this: a scammer sends a clickbait type message on social media. The message appears to come from a legitimate source. The message directs the user to a site which appears to offer a useful service. The site will then entice the user to enter in their private Bitcoin key. Once the user enters a key, it is stolen and the scammer will be able to spend directly from the user’s Bitcoin wallet. See the graphics below for examples.

Bitcoin brand impersonator example

Bitcoin phishing website example

Source: ZeroFox

The social media security firm, Zerofox.com, found over 40,000 brand impersonator social media profiles, gathering their research from platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google plus, and Youtube.

3. Fake Mining Operations

Nearly all Bitcoin mining operations have been called scams at one point. To clarify, a fake mining operation is defined as one that takes payments from “investors” but never actually mines Bitcoin. Usually the best way around fake mining operations is to avoid getting involved in the first place. Exercise due dilligence. Red flags for fake miners are:

  • Newly registered websites with hard to identify ownership
  • Companies registered in locations with weak identity requirements
  • Evasion when asked to show proof of equipment
  • Initial payouts which stop and do not resume
  • Emphasis on marketing and promotion over operations
  • Advertising on channels which do not verify credentials.

4. Ponzi Schemes.

A Bitcoin ponzi scheme is an operation, website or organization which falsely markets itself as engaging in cryptocurrency investing or other activity. In reality, these organizations collect money from users and pay out returns for a period of time.  After a while, the fake organization stops paying out and user’s funds are stolen. In cryptocurrency, these are usually “mining” schemes which collapse when users stop buying fake mining contracts.  How can you avoid Bitcoin ponzi schemes? According to the SEC, the official characteristics of a Ponzi scheme are:

bitcoin scams - ponzi scheme red flags

Source: SEC.gov

Avoiding Bitcoin Scams – Get Educated

Every investment in digital currency contains an element of risk. If you’re willing to take the risk, the best strategy is to educate yourself on how blockchain technology works. In case you aren’t clear – blockchain technology is the methodology underling  Bitcoin’s value. A good resource is to check out Brock Pierce crypt currency expert. Pierce is an interesting guy, he was a child actor and appeared in the films Mighty Ducks (1992), Mighty Ducks 2 (1994) and First Kid (1996).  In later life Pierce went on to become a leader in the Bitcoin community.  Here is a great video where he walks you through the logistics of blockchains and how they work in today’s economy.

If you want to invest more into Bitcoin and stay safe, this video will help.

Ever run into trouble with digital currency? If so, leave us a comment below.

Photo credit: Sean MacIntee