Reader TTS

I’m all for a great bargain — but not if it costs me in the long run. I’m talking about deals that rip you off, get you to spend more than you bargained for, pile on debt, extract sensitive

data or put you in harm’s way. Here are six risky deals to steer clear of. 1. BANK-ACCOUNT BUSTERS I was recently offered a discount for a monthly service, but only if I shared my bank

account info to set up automatic payments. I decided against it. With that data, thieves can steal funds right out of your account, make counterfeit checks and commit ID theft. And even

security-conscious companies have data breaches. “We had a ­record-setting year last year, and it’s not slowing down,” says Eva Velasquez, CEO of the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource

Center. 2. DEBT TRAPS Just about everything is sold via automatic renewal nowadays, especially subscriptions, and many retailers offer discounts when you sign up to auto renew. That can be

convenient — except when you want to cancel. The Federal Trade Commission’s recently finalized Click-to-Cancel rule should make it easy to stop those payments. In the meantime, as you sign

up for automatic payments, figure out how, when and where to unsubscribe (in the app, on the website or by phone?) so you can do so when you want to. 3. FAKE FREEBIES Sometimes, return and

cancellation policies on free trials are so strict they’re nearly impossible to cancel, warns the FTC. Plus, your “free” gift may incur shipping, handling and recurring fees. After a

promotional period ends, you might get socked with bigger fees plus charges for items you didn’t order; that once happened to me when I signed up for a meal delivery service. 4.

PRIVACY-INVADING APPS Mobile apps collect all kinds of personal info, which can put you at risk, especially in case of a data breach. For example, the popular Chinese shopping app Temu

collects so much data that one state attorney general deemed it spyware. Be selective about downloads and never store credit card data on apps, says Velasquez. 5. DEALS WITH INTEREST Like

store credit cards, fast-growing “buy now, pay later” financing can get you to spend more than you bargained for. Many BNPL customers are already swimming in debt at a time when credit card

balances and interest rates are at record highs. And many people prioritize BNPL repayment over credit card payments in order to not be cut off from new BNPL transactions. But that can make

a bad financial situation worse. 6. CHEAP TRICKS Fraudulent deals are common among social media sellers connected to scam websites and sketchy third-party vendors on marketplaces run by

Amazon, Walmart, Temu, eBay and other retailers. A recent Consumer Reports investigation found that marketplaces can exploit regulatory loopholes, endangering you by selling counterfeits and

recalled items. To avoid them, vet the vendor by searching online for complaints and user reviews; the browser add-on Fakespot can help you flag fake reviewers.