THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, July 29, 2022 Page 13 It is Said in Malden BBB Scam: If you are planning a party and need to rent chairs, decorations, a bouncy house or any other supplies, scammers are looking to target you T he Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker is getting reports of party hosts tricked by rentals that don’t materialize. Before planning your next party, get to know this scam to avoid being conned. The Flames coached by Deano Summers are your 2022 Malden Babe Ruth League Playoff Champions. By Steve Freker T hat another Malden icon has "left the building," Mimi's Roast Beef and Seafood, a fi xture on Centre Street (Route 60) since the late 1970s, has been replaced with a Korean Bistro. **** That many Malden streets are being repaired and repaved this summer as part of an ongoing, citywide infrastructure improvement plan. **** That some Malden Square businesses on the fi rst part of Main Street have gotten a great facelift and the fi rst new sign is for Mr. Suazo's Barbershop, which is located at the former longtime site of the Pleasant Smoke Shop which was operated for decades by the Strauss family. **** That congratulations are in order for the Flames of the Malden Babe Ruth League and manager Deano Summers, as they are the 2022 City Series Champions, defeating the Knights in the fi nals, the eighth Playoff crown under Summers' guidance. **** That the Malden Senior Babe Ruth Bambinos/Summer Tornados team has qualifi ed for the postseason for the 38th time in the past 38 years and are the #3 seed of 8 teams in the playoff s, where they will host Arlington at Rotondi Field on Sunday night at 7:00 p.m. in fi rst-round action. Sen. Jason Lewis announces local August Office Hours S tate Senator Jason Lewis will be holding Office Hours in Malden on Monday, August 1 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at the Malden Senior Center (7 Washington St). Any constituent of Senator Lewis is welcome to attend Offi ce Hours, with no appointment necessary, to meet with the Senator and discuss any personal issue or legislative feedback. Senator Lewis will also be holding Offi ce Hours the same day in Melrose from 12-1 p.m. at the Milano Family Senior Center (201 W. Foster St) and in Wakefi eld from 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the Wakefi eld Senior Center (30 Converse St). Another option for residents who would like to meet with Senator Lewis is to attend virtual Offi ce Hours, which will be held on Monday, August 15 from 2-3 p.m. on Zoom. For further information or any questions, visit SenatorJasonLewis.com or contact his offi ce at (617) 722-1206 or Jason.Lewis@masenate.gov. How the scam works You are planning a party and need to rent supplies. You do a web or social media search and fi nd a few options. For example, you may fi nd a website that looks legitimate and has a convenient online booking system. Or you might message someone through a social media account that seems professional. Either way, the “vendor” promises to reserve your rental for the date you need it – if you pay a deposit first. They might also require you to fi ll out a contact form with your personal details. The date of your party arrives, and your rental tent, furniture or other supplies don’t arrive. At this point, the “vendor” might tell you they’ve had an emergency and can’t deliver on their promise. However, when you ask for your money back, the scammers will disappear completely. Other times, you can’t contact the rental company at all. One consumer reported this experience to BBB Scam Tracker: “The day of the event, the rental never came. I called the phone number, and it went straight to an answering machine… I left several messages. None have been returned, and it has now been two months.” How to avoid rental scams Do your research before you rent. Look for the rental company’s website and ensure it has accurate contact information. Then, read consumer reviews about the company on third-party websites, such as BBB.org. Also, search the business name plus the word “scam” to make sure you don’t fi nd any reports of fraudulent business dealings. Be careful with your personal details. You might need to fi ll out a contract with personal information, but make sure you are dealing with a legitimate, professional company before you hand over sensitive information. Be wary of people who contact you on messaging apps. Legitimate businesses might use messaging apps to interact with you, but it’s unlikely they will contact you out of the blue this way. Even if you do speak with a business through a messaging app, make sure they have a website and working contact information. Always pay with a credit card. It’s much easier to dispute fraudulent charges if you use your credit card. If you pay with a debit card or cash, you may not get your money back if you fi nd out you were scammed. For more information Get BBB advice on planning a wedding (https://www.bbb.org/ all/wedding) or renting a venue for your next party (https:// www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/26819-bbb-tip-fi ndingan-event-venue-for-your-nextparty). If you spot a party rental scam or any other kind of scam, report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker to help build consumer awareness.
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