Sneaks and Scams: One Monthly Bill You Should Always Read

I understand that both Oprah and Rachael Ray have touted the benefits of acai berries on their shows.

Now, I am not intending in this post to dispute either Oprah or Rachael or make any claim to dietary expertise. (Since my dietary expertise consists of managing to never--as yet--give myself food poisoning, I wouldn't dare.)

This post is instead all about being very, very selective about giving out your credit card info.

It's a sad fact that the scammers are always quick to pervert the newest hot product for their own use and it seems that acai berry pills are no exception.

Info is now starting to emerge on the internet about online offerings of this product that promise you can have a free month's worth for a very small shipping and handling charge.

So....you happily contact the company and make the order. Then you find that hidden in the fine print is the information that your card will be charged a big chunk of cash each month if you don't call and cancel within a certain time period. Except it's impossible to call and cancel. (The person in this particular situation ended up having to cancel his credit card instead.)

Or as Associatedcontent.com reports:

The real deception occurs when someone believes they are getting a free sample for $4.95, when in reality, they are being asked to give out their credit card number to pay the shipping cost, and agreeing to a $74.95 per month recurring charge on their credit card to continue shipment of the Acai Berry pills.

I have nothing against acai berries (figuring out whether they work as advertised is up to you) and I'm sure that there are acai berry vendors out there who are completely honest.

The points I want to make are:

• Always, always, read the fine print of any on-line agreement.


• Always, always, be cautious in giving out your credit card information. In fact, unless you are dealing with a well-known company, I suggest you never pay directly via credit card. Ask if you can pay through Pay Pal instead. If a company that advertises online won't accept Pay Pal, I'd think long and hard about dealing with that company.


• Most importantly, when you get your credit card statement, always take a quick look at the charges. You can't deal with a scam charge or even a charge that's an honest mistake if you don't know about it.

Again, I'm got no beef with acai berries. (Am I allowed to mention red meat in the same sentence? Sorry, couldn't resist. Bad Cathy!) I do have a problem with any scammer who uses the newest hot product to make life tough for consumers.

So should you. Be cautious about online purchases using your credit card, especially when dealing with a company that's not well-known.

And open up that credit card bill each month and take a quick glance at the charges. It's a habit that will serve you well.