These Money Scams WILL Ruin Your Wallet! ⚠️

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👋 Hey guys - Noah here,

I hate scams. But the trouble is, as criminals get more desperate they are getting harder and harder to spot.

So here is my list of the top 5 scams that I GUARANTEE could fall today, and how to stop them. ✋ ❌

In today’s edition, we are looking at
💸 5 money scams that are on the rise and how to spot them…
👀 How I was able to get products to sell on eBay for free
😖 A personal scam that got me and my Dad

🎧 The Fake AirPods Scam (1)

Fake AirPods are on the rise and creeping up everywhere. 😖

And it’s easier than ever to accidentally buy a pair without realising.

People have found it’s ridiculously easy to buy fake replica AirPods online from Chinese manufacturers and then sell them as ‘real ones’.

The fake ones are becoming very good: they look almost always exactly like real ones and will even pair with an iPhone like regular AirPods would. The barcodes on the real ones will even appear as legit on the Apple website.

If you’re buying AirPods through Facebook Marketplace or eBay, there is no way to tell if they are originally from Apple. ❌ 

Now, even Amazon (not intentionally) has been found selling fake, replica AirPods on their website. This is because it’s stupidly easy for people to order legit AirPods, and then “return” them, swapping the real ones for the fake ones.

What is the solution? Only buy AirPods from the official Apple website or store.

Why are fake AirPods a problem? I ordered a pair myself as a test, and at the start, I didn’t notice a difference. But after a few days, I did start to notice some of the features not working so well, and it was clear the AirPods were buggy.

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📲 The Bike Thief “Phone Snatcher” Scam (2)

These days, modern electric bikes are insanely high-powered, cheap and easy to get a hold of. These bikes are the magic weapons used by thieves to snatch HUNDREDS of phones per day.

It’s estimated that in London alone, a phone is stolen every six minutes. And in 2022, around 91,000 were snatched in London!

All “Phone Snatchers” need is a high-powered electric scooter, and to spot someone who is walking on the street looking down at their phones, or with their headphones in.

These people walking down the street are not “properly” aware of their surroundings, so easy to quickly cycle up to the pavement and steal in a matter of seconds.

When thieves get a hold of a stolen phone, they’ll sell it to a supplier in China who will then break the phone apart for parts, and sell them in markets.

How can I avoid this scam? Simply by zipping your phone into your pocket when walking along busy streets and keeping a better watch out.

🔐 The Sim Locked Phone Scam (3)

When I first heard this scam it seemed pretty genius I can’t lie. 🤣

What people do in this scam is take out a monthly contract with a phone company, and receive a brand-new phone.

For example, they’ll get a brand new iPhone 14 Pro Max for a $50 per month contract.

They’ll then immediately sell the phone to someone else as “new”.

For example, they might sell that iPhone 14 Pro Max for $1000.

The problem can come when you don’t know that this supposedly “brand new phone” you are buying is actually locked to a specific service provider.

*A locked phone means you can only use the phone with a specific network provider, and this can devalue the phone by up to 50%!

So in short the $1000 iPhone you are buying, is actually “sim-locked”, so really worth $500.

How to avoid this? Make sure you clarify with the seller that the phone is not “sim locked”, and when you buy the phone, open it up straight away to check in the settings if it is locked.

🚕 The Fake Uber/Taxi Scam (4)

This scam is very common at Airports or in big cities.

When my Dad and I were at Orlando airport, it happened to us.

What happened was we landed at the airport and headed towards the sign for taxis.

As we approached the Taxi rank a man approached my Dad saying

“You looking for an Uber or Taxi?”

My Dad (bearing in mind he was very jet-lagged) said that he was looking for a taxi. This was a big mistake.

The guy immediately took my Dad’s suitcase, went to his car, put it in the boot and said “No worries, I can take you where you need!”.

When I got in the car I asked him

“Are you an official airport Taxi?”.

He replied by saying “I am an official Uber driver”. 🥴

When we got to the hotel (which was a 7-minute drive away), he charged us $50. When I looked on Uber, the trip should have cost $15.

How to avoid this scam: Only take taxis from official taxi ranks or book through a trusted app. When you book an Uber ask the driver what their name is, and check the car’s reg plate matches what the app says.

Do you want to learn how to source items for free to then sell for $100s on eBay? 🤑

If yes, then you’ll be interested in this…

In the last year, I have stumbled upon an untapped method that has allowed my brother (who is just 14) and I to source TONS of free items that we can then sell on eBay for loads of money.

Items like tech, expensive clothes, furniture and more. 👀

I’m working on bringing out a low-cost digital guide that teaches exactly how to do this step by step (it won’t cost any more than $20).

If you want to get early access and another 50% off the product when it comes out, then join the waitlist for it here.

I’ll even give one person who joins the waitlist the product for completely FREE!

See you next time!

Disclaimer: None of the above is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly education and should not be taken as investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and always do your own research.