In today’s world of greedy companies and corporate profits, you never know who you can trust. And while hearing the word “scam” may evoke images of a Nigerian prince wanting you to act as his beneficiary, some rip-offs are happening every day right under your nose.
We’ve tracked down the 15 biggest rip-offs that you’ve probably been tricked into at one point or another…
The Extended Warranty…

90% of the time, the price of the warranty is equal to or slightly more than the average price of the most common repair. How much sense does it make to pay for the repair BEFORE it’s needed?
Fountain Soda…

Not only does the diluted soda syrup cost the restaurants mere pennies, they fill your glass half-full with ice before even adding any pop. That’s a lot of cheap ingredients for your $2.00!
Hotel Mini Bars…

Hotels know that once you’re in your room, you probably don’t want to leave. It’s with that mindset that they get you with the smallest, most ridiculously expensive snacks and drinks.
Ink Cartridges…

Most of the time you’re better off to just buy a new printer!
Text Messages…

Each text message costs carriers about 1/3 of a cent but you pay up to 20 cents per text. That’s one heck of a mark up!
Bottled Water…

The idea that bottled water is something magical has been proven a myth. Almost all bottled water is just municipal tap water in a fancy container. What you’re paying for is the packaging…and the company profits! What you purchase for $2.00 can be drank at home for 1/10th of a penny.
Lottery Tickets…

It’s been called “the idiot tax” for a reason. You have a better chance of dying on your way to pick up your lottery ticket than you do of actually winning!
The Funeral…

Sure, no one wants to complain about how expensive it is to bury a dead relative, but funerals are one of the biggest rip-offs of them all. But with an average price of over $6000, that an awful lot of money for a hole, a rock, and a 15 minute car ride!
French Fries…

Fast-food chains pay roughly 15 cents per pound for potatoes and charge you $2.00 for a few ounces. Who’s getting ripped off in that equation?
The Oil Change…

No, we’re not telling you NOT to change the oil in your car. What we’re talking about is the whole host of upsells trying to get you to “turbo-charge” your car with high performance flushes and new wiper blades!
Branded Pain Killers…

While in some industries generic brands are lower quality than their name brand counterparts, that is definitely not the case with medication companies. They are legally required to use the exact same chemical composition as in the branded version. That means Tylenol is the exact same as generic Acetaminophen. There’s not one difference except for the label and the price.
Razor Blades…

It’s been reported that razor blade companies are guilty of collusion to keep the cost of their blades sky high. Razor blades are marked up over five thousand percent! How else do you think they can give the razor away for free?
Gym Memberships…

It’s well known that many people start gym memberships and don’t go. But what most people don’t know is that gyms are often sold at twenty times capacity. That means gyms know that only 1 in 20 people will use their membership.
All-You-Can-Eat Buffets…

Most people cannot ever eat $15 worth of food…especially when you’re being filled up with cheap foods like potatoes and pasta.
Don’t feel bad, we’ve all fell for at least some of these. Heck, I’m probably guilty of falling for them all.