{"product_id":"scammed-isbn-9781118108000","title":"Scammed","description":"\u003cb\u003eA leading consumer advocate reveals how to protect your money, time, and integrity from corrupt businesses\u003c\/b\u003e  \u003cp\u003eOnce upon a time store prices were simple and fair, businesses stood behind their products with guarantees free of fine print and loopholes, and companies genuinely seemed to care about their valued customers—but those days are long gone. In this groundbreaking exposé, consumer advocate Christopher Elliot reveals the broken relationship between American consumers and businesses and explains how companies came to believe that fooling their customers was a viable, and profitable, business plan.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eScammed\u003c\/i\u003e explores how companies control information to mislead, distort the truth, and even outright lie to their consumers.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eExposes the various ways companies have led their war against information—from seductive ads, disingenuous fine print, and unconventional promotions that involve seeding discussion forums and blogs with company-friendly comments\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eOffers consumers insider knowledge of the system, reasonable expectations, and a clear understanding of the games businesses play\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eChristopher Elliott is one of the nation's foremost consumer advocates\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003eProtect yourself, your time, and your money from the predators of the consumer world. Armed with knowledge, readers will become far more discerning and every business's worst nightmare.\u003c\/p\u003e  Prologue: Fenced In xi  \u003cp\u003eScammed—or Just a Bad Deal? xiv\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDown That Road Lies Madness xvii\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntroduction: You’re Not a Victim xxi\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eConfessions of a Heretic xxii\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePreventive Medicine xxiv\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow Businesses Are Scamming Us xxv\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow We Are Letting Them xxvi\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat to Do about It xxvii\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe New Scams xxviii\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart 1 How They Scam Us 1\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1. Reputation Management 3\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAvoiding Sock Puppets 6\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow Companies Manipulate Customers 8\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow We Fall for It 10\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"SocialSpark Loves Your Blog\" 12\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDon't Fall for a Managed Reputation 13\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2. I SEO You 17\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Scam That Wears Many Hats 19\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe SEO Pitch 20\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSEO Gone Wild 22\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAbove the Law? 25\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e3. Fooled You 27\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBut Everyone's Doing It 29\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLittle White Lies 33\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWho's to Say What’s Bogus? 36\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4. That's Not an Ad 39\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow They Lie 42\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePay per Post 46\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBut Wait! There's More! 47\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e5. Lying about Your Rights 51\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOops, You've Already Signed It 54\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFine Print Gone Wild 56\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSigning Away Other Rights 57\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOne Word at a Time 57\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart 2 How We Scam Ourselves 59\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6. Our Own Damned Fault 61\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLosing Your Mind 63\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Scam-or-Be-Scammed World? 65\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThere's Something in the VitaminWater 66\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Wayward Offer from DirecTV 67\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThat's Not the Spirit 68\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCustomer Confessions 70\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e7. Walled Gardens 73\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIf the Customer Is Always Right, Why Worry? 79\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTrapped in the System of It All 79\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDo You Suffer from Walled Garden Syndrome? 81\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e8. The Price of Loyalty 83\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat Loyalty Programs Make Us Do 85\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat Makes Loyalty Programs Dangerous 87\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Loyalty Effect 91\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eYou're Complicit 92\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eQuestions to Ask before You Buy 93\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e9. When the Watchdogs Sleep 95\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhere Have the Watchdogs Gone? 98\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen Dogs Follow the Wrong Scent . . . 100\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBeing a Discerning—and Demanding—Consumer 102\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e10. Tired, Confused, and Apathetic 105\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEyes Wide Shut 108\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDecisions, Decisions 110\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen You Don't Make a Decision . . . 111\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDereliction of Duty 112\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSplitting the Difference 114\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart 3 How to Fix It 115\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e11. The Enlightened Consumer 117\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Thirst for Knowledge 118\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGetting Inside the Mind of a Business 119\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCorporatespeak 120\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGetting Inside Your Head 124\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat Smart Shoppers Don't Do 126\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e12. It's Dangerous Out There 129\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow to Spot a Lowercase Scam 131\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow to Spot an Uppercase Scam 135\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow to Deflect a Clever Sales Pitch 137\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSurviving a Scam 139\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e13. The I-Can't-Help-Desk 141\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow to Escape from Call Center Hell 143\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eShould You Chat? 147\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Art of the Written Complaint 149\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese Letters Go Straight to the Trash 150\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eElements of a Winning Style 151\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e14. Turning a\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eNo into a Yes 155\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eYou're Right 156\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow to Turn a No Around 157\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA Few Thoughts on the Art of Persuasion 161\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSue or Shame? 163\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e15. Act Now 167\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTiming Is Everything 169\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFixing What's Wrong with Business 171\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFixing Ourselves 172\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWho Wins? 174\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEpilogue: Power in Your Pocket 175\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAppendix 179\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWho You Gonna Call? 179\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow to Find a Manager in Person 180\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow to Find a Manager by E-Mail 183\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow to Find a Manager by Phone 184\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow to Find a Manager through Social Media 186\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBibliography 191\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSuggested Readings 205\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAcknowledgments 207\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author 209\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e    \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT\u003c\/b\u003e is one of the nation's foremost consumer advocates. In his nearly two decades of fighting for consumers, he's proven himself as a fearless, fair, and effective mediator, going toe-to-toe with large corporations, litigious business owners, and government agencies.      \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSCAMMED\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMost of us wouldn't buy that bridge in Brooklyn that some guy wants to sell us. We wouldn't wire money to people who send us an e-mail that promises to shower us with millions once they save a Nigerian diplomat. Used car salespersons? Not our friends. We're savvy customers who can spot a fast one, right?  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMaybe not. As longtime journalist and customer advocate Christopher Elliott reveals in \u003ci\u003eScammed\u003c\/i\u003e, sometimes today's con-jobs arrive via poorly spelled spam or fast-talking hustlers, and sometimes they come from well-dressed MBAs, intricate legal contracts, or management-approved corporate policies. \u003ci\u003eScammed\u003c\/i\u003e shows how many businesses manipulate and mislead in order to not give you what you paid them for. You'll discover how you can protect yourself from this unfair behavior. If you feel doomed to suffer hidden fees, escape clauses, and shoddy products, \u003ci\u003eScammed\u003c\/i\u003e gives you the tools to fight back, make yourself heard, and have your complaints resolved on the double. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLearn the latest techniques businesses use to give you a bad deal, as well as their most effective countermeasures. \u003ci\u003eScammed\u003c\/i\u003e pulls back the curtain on: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eHow companies shape online perception, including \"reputation management,\"  \"sock puppet\" reviews, content mills, and \"black-hat\" search engine techniques\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e Typical hidden clauses in end-user software licenses, credit card contracts, and other customer agreements\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e The behavioral science behind sophisticated customer manipulation, and how to recognize and correct for it\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e How to find good, fair-dealing companies and guard against bad ones\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e Real-life stories of customers successfully fighting bad deals, and how they did it\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e Effective techniques for communicating with companies and accelerating their response to your problem\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e And more\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003eShady dealers expect you to resign yourself to getting burned. Restore your power as a customer, make better choices, demand what you pay for, and hold onto your money with Christopher Elliott's winning advice. Don't get scammed; get \u003ci\u003eScammed\u003c\/i\u003e, and get wise!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wiley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47989989966053,"sku":"NP9781118108000","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781118108000.jpg?v=1761786126","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/scammed-isbn-9781118108000","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}