Steve Sbraccia
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theconsumerguy.bsky.social
Steve Sbraccia
@theconsumerguy.bsky.social
Helping you to avoid scams and save money
Don't get fooled by AI created counterfeit retail sites. Social media is seeing a proliferation of scam websites, fake ads & fraudulent websites that are run by cyber criminals. Here's how to avoid being ripped off by this new generation of AI generated fraud. www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKc7...
December 22, 2025 at 2:39 PM
The National Retail Federation predicts over a trillion dollars will be spent this holiday season--but too many want to charge those purchases and many can't afford to incur that debt. I tell you how to avoid a holiday debt hangover come this January
youtu.be/RAn8PvkJLKc
Preventing a holiday debt hangover
YouTube video by The Consumer Guy
youtu.be
December 14, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Scam Santa is here with a light-hearted look at a serious subject-holiday fraud. As he offers you season's scammings, you'll see some of the top holiday schemes out there designed to make his Christmas green with your cash lining his pockets. www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5hB...
December 14, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Buy now pay later (BNPL) makes it tempting to buy things you can't afford, by offering low, micro payments. But using it to do holiday shopping is dangerous because those multiple BNPL payments add up fast & that debt can quickly get you into financial hot water. www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJe6AqpxvjI
December 6, 2025 at 6:16 PM
As auto dealers get ready to clear out 2025 models and bring in the 2026 ones, the IHHS crash tested 15 EV & gas powered vehicles. It found lots of choices for Top Safety Picks. I look at them all and let you know what's what in this report. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-voe...
October 31, 2025 at 2:02 AM
Tanks a lot--how to capitalize on falling gas prices.
Gas prices have dropped significantly at the pump in the last month. I tell you how to take the money you save and make it work for you and I explain how to do it painlessly.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bcx...
October 26, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Thinking of buying an EV? Check out these crash test ratings. There's lots of choices for electric vehicles these days, from pickup trucks to family vans and in everything in between. Which ones are award worthy and which ones fall short? youtu.be/8rem9n2NOu8
September 17, 2025 at 3:25 AM
The hidden costs of that super low airline ticket. Airlines may offer you a low base fare but when you add in all the extras you may find your ticket price is suddenly significantly higher. I look at why this is happening and where this trend is going. www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_vm...
September 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
COLLEGE SHOPPING AND CREDIT CARD PITFALLS. Learn some money saving tips when it comes to outfitting yourself for the year ahead when you go to college and beware of credit card pitfalls that trap college students. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIkf...
August 24, 2025 at 4:43 PM
NEW ! the Consumer Guy has added OPEN VIDEO to our family of social media platforms. Check it out here. Easier access and ability to share. Let me know what you think.
open.video/@the-consume...
August 10, 2025 at 9:36 PM
BEST & WORST STATES TO HAVE A BABY. I dig deeper into a new study by WalletHub that ranks the best and worst places to have a child. The results are surprising
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6biB...
August 8, 2025 at 8:53 PM
YOUR PRIME ACCOUNT IS AT RISK
Criminals are targeting 220-million Amazon Prime customers as they impersonate the eCommerce giant to scare you into renewing your subscription--falsely claiming it's expired .Find out how to recognize the scam, and who is behind it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFFU...
July 31, 2025 at 8:25 PM
With the boom in online shopping comes a boom in returns. But retailers say those returns are costing them big bucks and now many want you to pay for the returns. I tell you how do to navigate the online return jungle make those returns more hassle free. www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA5P...
July 25, 2025 at 4:01 AM
DON'T LET SCAMMERS STEAL YOUR SUMMER VACATION. Thousands of websites now impersonating real airlines, hotel chains and other travel related websites. I chat with an expert who spots these fake travel sites and share his advice on how to avoid being victimized. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Plto...
July 8, 2025 at 7:22 PM
There's a new currency on the block--it's called "stable coin." Although it's an electronic form of currency its not like bitcoin. Find out why merchants, big banks and even the US government are rushing to embrace stable coin. www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCOd...
July 3, 2025 at 6:47 PM
EXPOSING THE FAKE "HELP ME" SCAM Widely circulated videos claiming to be from a man or woman in desperate need to save their failing animal shelter or handmade product business are targeting kind-hearted social media viewers with fake donation requests. www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAr8...
June 24, 2025 at 3:27 AM
WHEN GOOD DRONES GO BAD. Drone use has great potential, but experts are sounding a warning on the use of hobby-type drones by bad actors. They fear the misuse the technology, worrying that convergence of drones, AI, cyber and chemical warfare against us is here.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLyZ...
June 9, 2025 at 5:00 AM
SOCIAL INSECURITY. Scammers are ramping up their efforts to defraud you because people are confused over what is happening with Social Security. I reveal their scare tactics and show you easy ways to detect their fraudulent emails, texts or phone calls. www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFmX...
May 31, 2025 at 5:44 PM
WILL PASSKEYS KEEP US MORE SECURE THAN PASSWORDS? Weak or stolen passwords are a major contributor to data breaches, with over 80 per cent of hacking-related breaches stemming from them. Major tech players believe passkeys will put a stop to all that.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXyp...
May 27, 2025 at 4:36 AM
WHY ARE AI ROBOTS ARE TAKING OVER YOUR HEALTHCARE. Seeking to cut costs improve care the medical industry is adding more and more robots--but at what cost to your health and safety? I drill down to look at the issues involved in this byte-sized health care initiative www.youtube.com/watch?v=vujA...
May 18, 2025 at 3:04 AM
LOST IN THE CLOUD. Think your data is safe in the cloud because it's state-of-the-art? What happens if the server farm is hacked, or suffers physical damage that takes it off-line. Who's responsible for recovering your lost data? What I discovered may surprise you. www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-hZ...
May 12, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Your teen wants a cool car & you want a safe car. Can you compromise? I dig into how Consumer Reports and the IIHS have teamed up to find 122 vehicle models ideal for teens in all styles that will fit the bill as well as your price point. www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5vT...
May 1, 2025 at 8:05 PM
When you make a will you want your wishes to be honored. But family fights and legal maneuverings can thwart your last wishes unless you do certain things to prevent that. We tell you what are the best ways to avoid family fights over your assets after you pass away www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCqf...
April 27, 2025 at 10:19 PM
What's now considered crucial data to protect may surprise you, because what identity thieves want from you is changing rapidly. Along with the Identity Theft Resource Center, I outline steps you can take NOW to secure that data. youtu.be/z4nsnQhbgnE
April 8, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Our roads are pretty dumb, but they're going to need to be made smarter to handle vehicles which are becoming more and more reliant on technology. And if we want truly autonomous self-driving vehicles--upgrades have to happen. Here's one way it can happen. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwaf...
March 25, 2025 at 4:55 PM