Money

10 of America’s Biggest Ripoffs

Are we just a bunch of suckers?

Photo by Jp Valery on Unsplash

As an American, I feel like we’re sitting ducks when it comes to predatory business practices. Maybe we just don't question things or think about them enough. Anyways, here are 10 of America's biggest ripoffs.

1. Fees

“Service fee, convenience fee, facility fee, transaction fee.” If something is $10, but there’s $10 of fees added, the real cost is $20.

Vendors just count on us getting emotionally invested in purchasing something, so that in the end, we won't mind having a few extra dollars being tacked on. These don't actually do anything but pad their bottom line.

Great examples:

TicketMaster: An $18 concert ticket somehow goes to $45 at check out. SMH.

GrubHub, DoorDash: You get to the checkout and they’ve added a bunch of fees, BUT you can become a member for a monthly fee and they will waive some of these fees. Oooo!

2. Contracts

Don't you love when new lease time comes up and they raise your rent by $100–200? Then you say no, and they relist the apartment at the same amount you were paying?!? They would rather lose money than keep you, for what? It’s like renters are penalized for…