How the scam works:

You are buying a gift certificate online and when the transaction is almost done you are asked if you want to save $10 or $20 on that gift certificate. Naturally, you agree. Who wouldn’t?

You are invited to press “Continue” and after that you are required to write your e-mail address into a box. This step automatically signs you up for a membership for which you will be charged $10-$30 a month without you knowing it until one day you find it on your credit card statement and call your credit card provider.

After figuring out who charged your account, you call the company and are told, in a congratulatory tone, that you are a member of a privileged Discount Club. You might have saved $10 earlier, but you’ve paid it back – and then some.

How to avoid:

Don’t just press the “agree to the rules and regulations” button without reading the details - always carefully check the fine print. If you want to participate in rewards programs and gift cards are really your thing, use only legitimate companies. One of the most trustworthy services out there is Swagbucks.com, which is the largest online rewards portal to provide free gift cards. It's worth checking it out, as registration is also free. You can visit their website HERE.

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