Wheat State's Hello Central Winter 2016

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Watch Out for
These Holiday Scams
The Better Business Bureau warns
consumers to beware of the
following:
• Fake shipping notifications:
Scammers send emails pretending
to be from companies like UPS
or FedEx with links to package
tracking information. Don’t click on
any links or open any attachments
coming from a questionable source
(typos and grammatical mistakes
are red flags).
• Phony charities: Scammers take
advantage of the holiday spirit
of generosity with fake charity
solicitations in emails and on
social media. Check out charities
at before donating.
• Temporary holiday jobs: Retailers
and delivery services need extra
help at the holidays, but beware of
solicitations requiring you to share
personal information or pay for a
job lead. Apply in person or go to
retailers’ main websites.
• Free gift cards: Pop-up ads or
email offering free gift cards are
often just a ploy to get your per-
sonal information for identity theft.
• Social media gift exchange: It
sounds great—buy one gift and
get 36 in return. But it’s a variation
on an illegal pyramid scheme.
For protection against other
online threats, call 1/800
442-6835 and ask about our
computer security services. Cornerstone Group © 2016
To get the best deal from online
merchants, you need to know
the tricks of the trade. It pays
to use these shopping tips:
1. Use multiple coupon codes
strategically.
If the website lets you combine different
coupons and promo codes at the check-
out, use them in the right order. Say you
have a promo code for a 20% discount
and a coupon worth $10 off. Apply the
20% promo code first, which will subtract
20% from the full price. Then use your
$10 coupon.
2. Use live chats.
Live chats are available on most websites.
Be polite and ask a few questions about
the product you’d like to buy. Next, ask if
there are any discounts available. It’s not
a well-known fact but chat support can
issue special promo codes that are not
widely available.
3. Leave items in your cart.
This strategy works two ways. By placing items in your cart and stepping away for a day
or two, you may avoid making an impulse purchase you’ll later regret. Secondly, most
retailers hate unclosed deals and will try to get you to buy by emailing a discount code.
This only works when you have an account on the merchant’s website and are logged in
when you leave your cart.
4. Accumulate more coupons with multiple email addresses.
Increase your chances of saving big bucks by signing up for an online merchant’s newslet-
ter or email list with multiple email accounts. This way, you may end up with two or three
50% discount codes instead of just one.
5. Download the Honey app.
This app, available at will automatically find and apply cou-
pon codes when you shop online. Click on the Honey button during checkout and Honey
will automatically apply coupon codes to your shopping cart. Click on the Honey button
on a supported online store and instantly see all the coupons and sales available for the store.
Be sure to also check out Wheat State’s website and Facebook page for our
current money-saving promotions.
5 Clever Ways to Save Money
When You Shop Online