Gullible suburban mother of four regularly duped in her half-century life. Exploring hoaxes and schemes as the ExSCAMiner, she attempts answering the nagging question: Should I have fallen for that? Got scam tips, email Karin at ScamExaminer@gmail.com.

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Losing weight in a chair and other dreams

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August 3, 8:59 PM

by Karin Malchow, Scam Examiner

Just like get-rich-quick schemes demanding minimal work, people will probably always dream of airbrushed beauty, instant good health, passive exercise and effortless weight loss. How else do you explain infomercials?

MSNBC's health blog "Does It Work?" offers often-hilarious reviews of touted health products, including foot pad toxin removers and the Hawaii hula chair. Their video is equally amusing as the popular Ellen DeGeneres show YouTube clip.

Products may look like a good idea when channel-surfing television's graveyard shift. Making the phone call unleashes aggressive sales tactics involving additional offers and automatic renewals. Then you face potential billing problems and complicated or nonexistent return policies.

Before you buy from a late-night infomercial, better sleep on it.

Topics: sales tactics , infomercials , passive exercise , Ellen Degeneres , Does It Work?

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Comments

Pay attention to the scanner

1 comment

November 29, 9:39 PM

Remember the 1992 story of President George H. W. Bush marveling at grocery store barcode price scanning when they were commonly used for over a decade? Although the politicized tale has been debunked (he doesn't look too amazed in this video),... Read More
Topics: President Bush , bar code scanners

Free champagne (courtesy of The Real Hustle)

5 comments

November 28, 8:12 AM

BBC series The Real Hustle includes tips on hustling free drinks. This segment features scamming some free champagne. Another bar trick from The Real Hustle appears here. Not that the Scam Examiner recommends cheating your... Read More
Topics: The Real Hustle

Shoulder surfers can be more than an arm's length away

3 comments

November 25, 8:59 PM

Heading out Black Friday with a debit card or stopping at the ATM? Remember that identity thieves don't have to be standing right behind you anymore. They can be up to fifteen feet away and still get your PIN and account number. How? ... Read More
Topics: Debit card , Theft

Exploding toilet risk for young and old

9 comments

November 22, 5:48 PM

For the last few months, a number of scam artists posing as water company workers have victimized senior citizens in New Jersey. Some demand money for nonexistent services or threaten to turn the water off, while others keep the occupant... Read More
Topics: Con artists , impersonation

Cash gifting the Chocolate Rain Guy way

18 comments

November 19, 12:01 PM

Cash gifting is a pyramid scheme falsely claiming legality. Practitioners cite irrelevant IRS rules allowing $12,000 to be distributed annually reducing a $2+ million taxable estate. (The tax allowance lets people give others, usually their... Read More
Topics: pyramid scheme , cash gifting

Reasons to hate rebate coupons

6 comments

November 16, 7:23 AM

Encourages impulsive product choice.Neglected reading rebate instructions prior to disposing of box with UPC code and yesterday was trash day.Just forgot to send in the form.Once sent, who remembers to track these things, anyway?Never knowing what you... Read More
Topics: sales tactics

Turkeys drown in gravy, not rain

2 comments

November 13, 12:01 PM

Ironically, many of us choose to question a turkey's intelligence while groaning, half-conscious after Thanksgiving dinner.Two enduring turkey stories told around the table: Turkeys are so stupid, they look up into rain and drown, and ingesting... Read More

Remembering Joe Schmo

3 comments

November 12, 6:27 PM

Now that the surreal election with its plethora of Joe references (Plumber, Sixpack, Biden and Lieberman) is behind us (well, those last two will still come up), let us fondly recall a true Everyman, Joe Schmo. In 2003, television viewers... Read More
Topics: reality television

Not so charitable

3 comments

November 11, 10:46 AM

Below are five charities Charity Navigator describes as "not living up to their mission." Why? Because they spend over 50% of their budget on for-profit professional fundraising companies and very little providing services.CharityProgram... Read More
Topics: charities , Veterans Day