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I’ve seen this question going around other places on social media, and so many of the answers really made me stop and think. We’ve been indoctrinated far more than we realize, I think – don’t you?
If you’re not sure exactly what I’m talking about, check out what these 18 people say are total scams, but that we’re fine with because we consider them “normal.”
18. What am I paying for again?
“Admin fees” for completely automated services.
In Australia if you use a toll road and don’t have a toll account, you get sent a toll notice with an added $10 admin fee. And if you don’t pay it within the requested time frame the admin fee goes up to $20.
A $2.50 toll could end up costing you $22.50. Scam…
17. Start doing it today.
Employers insisting that employees not talk about their salaries AND job listings not posting salaries.
I know in the US the former is straight up illegal, you can’t do that and so many people don’t realize this, to the point companies just go ahead and tell you not to and even try to penalize people for doing so, because people don’t realize they can push back on that.
Job listings not having salary is just vile manipulation, and it seems to me like it’s bad for business. Why would you want to waste time drawing in and interviewing people who are going to drop out when they find out the salary rather than post what you’re going to pay and adjusting if need be?
No wait, I know the answer, it’s because they hope someone overqualified will get suckered in and either undersell themselves or go in hoping to get a good raise.
16. We all get suckered in.
Free trial auto renewal subscriptions.
I use a privacy.com virtual credit card with a 1 time transaction limit and a limit of $1 so that way the charge for the subscription will be automatically declined.
15. We don’t even ask to see the bills.
Hidden fees. Especially in the medical and hospitality industries.
Recent legislation called the No Surprises Act attempts to remedy this at least a little bit. Hospitals are now required post their charges for common services online, among many other things.
14. Make it stop.
And ads for already paid subscriptions.
Lookin at you, Paramount+
Paid subscription that will lock you out if you’re using an adblocker bc they are attempting to show ads.
13. No one has time for that.
Not being able to cancel a subscription online.
I can subscribe in 5 minutes but I need to call your service agents and am forced to be rude to them to cancel it because as long as my voice sounds friendly they try to resell the damn subscription.
12. Read the fine print.
Extended Warranty
Make sure you read the fine print whats being covered n what is considered void.
If it’s free tho, god d**n. I had a TV with a free 2 year warranty and it broke after 23 months. I got a full refund.
11. It’s totally bogus.
Credit scores.
They started in 1989 and are designed to encourage debt.
If credit scores are meant to be a measure of how likely I am to pay off a loan in the future, how come every time I pay off a loan, the score goes down? Surely having many loans already paid-in-full in my history would be the best sign that I’m a safe bet for future lenders? Oh, but my “credit mix” isn’t as good now, because that matters somehow.
10. Why am I not surprised.
Raise the price of a product a day before they go on sale so that people think they are getting it at a discount
Amazon is pretty bad at this.
Here’s an example. I try to look for deals for a small subreddit I run(r/lowestpricedeals) and I come across such products all the time.
9. They’re never there up front.
Resort fees at hotels.
I often book rooms on Orlando through online, the resort fees always pop up later, and expensive. The 88$ room ends up 120.
Every time. Find one for 69? 120 in the end, every time.
If it ain’t the resort fee its a 20 parking fee. Or both.
8. It’s just a brick otherwise.
Buying tech devices, for premium prices, then still having to pay subscriptions to make them actually do what they’re supposed to do.
Enterprise IT gear is the worst for this – Cisco sells you a firewall for several grand and then charges huge prices for licenses that just unlock hardware features on the device – and then makes you buy support contracts each year if you want updates.
7. We just accept that it’s crap.
Those U-Hauls that say “$20.00 a day!” I have never been able to rent a U-Haul for less than $100.
Which is fine. I know that’s what it costs. But the bait and switch is annoying.
6. This should not be a thing.
Like my stupid printer… I paid for the printer, I pay the dumb raised price for the inks and now I’m expected to pay a subscription if I want to print in colour… Duck the stupid company
I think a lot of you misunderstood. I don’t pay a subscription for the inks, it’s an AXIS photography specific printer. I own the ink, they are expensive but I have them, I have to pay a subscription to use the colour print function, you can only print black and white documents without the subscription
5. Don’t be a sheep.
I don’t know how many times I have a similar conversation:
Me: “Excuse me, but there is this extra charge that I did not agree to.”
Them: “I’m sorry Sir, but that is what we charge everyone.”
Me: “Well then you are scamming everyone. I never agreed to this.”
Then: “There is nothing we can do. We are not allowed to reverse the charge.”
Me: “Ok then. I will just call my credit card company and explain there was an unauthorized charge.”
Them: “You can’t do that! If you do that, it will become a huge problem.”
Me: “I’m doing it now.”
Them: “Luckily or manager happens to be here. She can reverse the extra charge.”
4. At least theaters aren’t busy anymore.
Service charge for buying cinema tickets online.
I’ve got to pay you to buy something from you ?!!!
It’s almost as if they have us by the balls by being the only options available.
3. It’s getting out of hand.
Everything is a sneaky small monthly subscription.
This is getting ridiculous. A one time payment for an app or game used to be fine. Now you keep paying.
Terrible for the consumer.
2. Eyes/Teeth are body parts.
Medical insurance not covering dental or vision. Like, it’s all connected, guys.
If you have a badly abscessed tooth, you’re likely going to need medical care, even if you have dental that covers the extraction or root canal or whatever.
1. It makes me see red.
Transaction fees when using online banking.
I do all the work filling out the form so a bank employee doesn’t have too, yet I get charged the same.
It’s tough to argue with these, don’t you think?
What else belongs on this list? Please, continue to enlighten us in the comments!
