A new warning as many of you get ready to send your kids off to college: With summer being a busy time for moving, reports of people getting scammed are surging all across the Houston area, leaving many residents vulnerable and out-of-pocket.

They try by phone, by email and even by mail. It seems a carrier pigeon is the only method of communication these companies looking to reach you about your vehicle’s extended warranty.

We’ve warned you before: some contractors use big weather events to try and rip people off. You have to be careful. KPRC 2 Investigator bill spencer has what you need to know before hiring a contractor.

Amazon Prime Day is here.

🚨 Attention Houstonians! 🚨Be on the lookout for a new twist in email scams! Scammers are posing as businesses and tricking people into providing personal and credit card information. They send urgent emails claiming your membership or subscription has expired and ask you to click on a link. Don't fall for it! Stay vigilant and protect your personal information. Spread the word to friends and family to keep them safe too. #HoustonScamAlert #StaySafeOnline 💻💪

It’s never fun to be scammed, but if you’re a small business owner then falling for a scam can have long-lasting effects on a business, damaging client relationships and profit.

LinkedIn reports 50 percent of workers will actively look for a new job this year and most of those people will search online to find one. But beware, as job scams are a growing problem.

Buyer beware! A northside man who says he paid thousands of dollars in cash for a vehicle including tax, title, and license, tells KPRC 2 that nearly a year and a half later, he still hasn’t been able to register the vehicle in his name after the DMV told him he needed more paperwork.

Amy Sharp and Jason Leopard are in the middle of a battle they never dreamed they would be in. They were ripped off by an estate sale company. Bill Spencer looks into what you should do if you have a similar problem.

As you go out and buy gifts this holiday season, it’s important to be on the lookout for scams.

A family says they can’t grieve the death of their mother because they are wrapped up in a mess over her headstone. They are both heartbroken and mad and reached out to KPRC 2 Investigates for help.

Families with kids going to college or vocational schools may be looking for all the financial help they can get. There are a lot of places to go for scholarships and grants but you should be careful about where you apply. Thieves prey on unsuspecting families so we have three things to look out for.

The roofing industry is not regulated or licensed, so you really need to watch out. Investigator Amy Davis looks into what you should know before hiring roofing help. Christian and Jennifer Hernandez from JC and C Roofing join Amy Davis for an episode of Ask Amy.

If you’re on the hunt for a new job, beware of scammers who the Better Business Bureau says are getting more sophisticated and putting new twists on traditional job scams.

Amazon Prime Day is here.

A popular window company is accused of taking customers’ money and ghosting them for months, some for more than a year. Windows can be a great upgrade but for some, it’s turning into an expensive and risky investment.

CenterPoint Energy has lost its Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas accreditation due to several issues the BBB has identified, according to its website.

A woman in Florida is speaking out, claiming she paid Christal Clear Designs over six figures for interior design work but the company never came to her home.

Reports of fake parking tickets are on the rise as consumers were reportedly scammed by tickets that looked surprisingly real.

The Texas Pride Disposal complaints KPRC 2 viewers have been sharing all week are enough to fill a garbage can.

The holiday shopping season is in full swing - and so are thieves, working hard to trick you. More people are already being targeted by mail delivery schemes. Amy Davis explains you should know to protect both your packages and your personal information.

Before you buy just about anything these days you probably check the reviews. Are you getting the best information when looking around? Or, what about if you need help dealing with a bad business? We are looking into what you need to know about backgrounding a business with the Better Business Bureau.

Solar Panel Problems: From warranty issues to high electric bills, Investigator Amy Davis explains the struggles one family is facing two years after they paid to put panels on their roof.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning people who are trying to get their student loans forgiven of potential scammers.

How many times have you googled a company’s name to get information? We have a warning about what might pop up in those search results.

You buy smart video security systems to keep an eye on your home when you are away. But you could be exposing your home to thieves if you are not careful. The KPRC 2 Investigates team explains 4 things you can do to protect yourself.

Nearly half of all Houstonians pay rent every month instead of a mortgage. So, many of you may relate to our first question about renters insurance. Also today, the warmer weather is nice but it also means the prime season for roofing scammers. What you need to know if someone knocks on our door offering to help you.

When you hire someone to do a job at your house that you can’t do, you have to trust that they’ll do the job right. A Humble woman says she’s out nearly $800 and has nothing to show for it after she hired someone to clean her air ducts. It’s a common crime that happens in communities all over the country and we want you to know what to look out for.

With the holiday season upon us, the Better Business Bureau is offering advice for people who are shopping online and expecting deliveries.

When you buy a car online, you are buying it sight unseen. No test driving and no kicking the tires, so it's already a little risky. One online car buying company is standing out from the others - and not in a good way. Complaints about the used car company Vroom are skyrocketing. Hear from two customers who can't even drive their cars and what the company has to say about the increase in complaints.

The Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas and the FBI are warning of an increase in ransomware, alerting individuals to be wary of unknown or misleading emails, texts, and phone calls that could lead to individuals installing ransomware on their devices.

Sara Eriksen recently hired a moving company for nearly $4,000 to help her make the transition from California to Houston.

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)The Better Business Bureau is warning those who have received their COVID-19 vaccine to not share a photo of their vaccination card on social media. According to the BBB, sharing a photo of a vaccination card poses a threat of identity theft as it displays self-identifying information including a person’s full name, date of birth, and where they received the COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, the BBB warns that photos of COVID-19 vaccination cards shared on social media can help scammers create phony versions. Scammers in Great Britain were caught selling fake vaccination cards on eBay and TikTok,” the BBB said in a release. Posting photos of your card can help provide scammers with information they can use to create and sell phony ones.”AdBefore sharing news that you’ve received the COVID-19 vaccine, BBB recommends the following:

We are learning more about COVID vaccine scam warnings. Know the rules about COVID vaccine distributionCrooks are also lying about how you can get your vaccine. Right now there is NOT an option to send a COVID vaccine to your home. Be aware, the vaccine will always be freeYou should never have to pay out of pocket for anything related to the COVID vaccine. Make sure aging parents know the vaccine guidelinesJust like other scams, the most common victims are often our aging parents.

Online shopping scams are on the rise as thieves look to take advantage of the increase in people shopping online during the pandemic. Online shopping scams, like the one Black fell for, are on the rise as thieves take advantage of the surge of people flocking to the internet during the pandemic. To lure you onto the sites, scammers pay for ads on Facebook, Google and other websites. So far this year, the FTC has received more than 37,000 reports of online shopping fraud, amounting to $27 million in losses. You can also report the site on the Better Business Bureau and FTC websites, which could help others from being scammed.

It’s called the “Secret Santa” or “Secret Sister” and it’s a gift exchange, usually amongst women. It works like this:Secret Sister social media recruitment post (Copyright 2020 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.) Secret Sister social media post (Copyright 2020 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.) • Report social media posts. Some pyramid schemes try to win your confidence by claiming they’re legal and endorsed by the government.