It does not matter if a person lives in Sweden, Germany, the US or Russia, there is one thing that everyone can be sure of – they are deceived. Of course, it is necessary to say at once we are not talking about scam. Companies know a lot of legitimate ways to get more money from people. However, they have nothing to do with ethics.
1. Websites of airlines and travel agencies
They charge different prices from customers based on the history of the user’s visiting websites. For this purpose, they use cookies and other information. Therefore, when buying air tickets, choose the Incognito mode in your browser.
2. Educational institutions that are open for pure profit
An excellent example is the lawsuit against the President of the United States Donald Trump for $25 million on the basis of fraudulent activities of Trump University. Online schools often force people to pay for a degree that is unaccredited or useless.
3. Network marketing
From Amway to Herbalife … these companies literally rip the most vulnerable members of society. As a rule, they ask for some payment for tuition, materials, etc. At the same time, it is stated that a person will quickly have the money back, but in reality … Is it needed to explain anything?
4. Banks
This applies to most large banks – no one will even argue that they “rip” their customers in one form or another. For example, the Bank of America is famous for “manipulating” important documents on mortgage loans and then trying to deprive customers of the right to use the property. This bank alone had to pay a $17 billion fine due to mortgage fraud in recent years.
5. Computer repair
This applies to any computer repair shop. Most of these companies embezzle from computer-illiterate users, winding up the bill for “cleaning the computer” to a couple of thousands. It is needless to say that for some reason it is cheaper to buy a new computer than to repair the old one.
6. Extended warranties
Almost every company provides additional warranties, and almost every company “rips” people by doing so. In any case, there is always some tiny detail, which makes it impossible to pay the insurance or warranty.
7. Car rental companies
This applies to Hertz, Enterprise, etc. You need to keep track of what you pay for. As a rule, it turns out that a person pays even for such things as smoking in a car, when renting it. It may happen as well that he has not smoked a single cigarette in his life! There are a lot of similar tricks when renting a car.
8. Branded medicines
This argument can also be applied to any industry and brands in general. Many medicines are available in the form of pure generics, but companies fuel people’s ignorance, arguing that popular and expensive brands are better than cheaper options.
9. Wedding services
If a person simply mentions the fact of planning a wedding, the prices will skyrocket. Everything will be expensive – from flowers to food. You can try a simple trick. Order just an ordinary party and say at the last moment that it will be a wedding… Then ask why the price has gone 3 times higher all of a sudden.
10. Medical insurance companies
It should be remembered that medical insurance companies work to make a profit and not to simplify the life of the people who are ill. Everyone pays thousands of dollars… for nothing. The insurer will always do everything possible to avoid paying the client when there is a need.
11. Instruction manuals
They are sold to people for $100, and then companies buy them back for $20 and resell used materials for $80. In addition, teachers often do not allow students to take the tests until they buy books from the teacher.
12. Lotteries
Everything is quite simple here – you need to look at the statistics. It turns out that lotteries are one of the biggest frauds in history. Some economists even noted that state lotteries are simply a tax on ignorant people and unprotected strata of the population.
13. Whimsical diets and pseudoscientific products for health
Many companies and self-taught healers harp endlessly about various miraculous pills and diets that are cleaning the body and removing toxins and slags… Besides, they should also help you lose weight, become healthy and live a long life. Unfortunately, none of this has anything to do with science or reality.
14. Taxi
Even in well-known and developed countries, the “rip-off” on the part of taxi drivers is surprisingly common. This is another reason to use alternative services, such as Uber.
15. Diamonds
The well-known De Beers company creates a significant part of the demand (via marketing) and controls the majority of diamond supplies in the world. It is true that diamonds are relatively useless, and in fact they are some of the most common minerals (under certain mining conditions). Such a great desire to possess them at huge prices is the result of marketing.
