15 Things We Accept as a Society that People Think Are a Total Scam

Pinterest Twitter Facebook Email Flip it

Disclaimer: When you buy from links on our site, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Learn more

What’s 100% a scam, but we accept it in our society? I’ll go first. MLMs, otherwise known as multi-level marketing or network marketing. I know many eye rolls are happening, but as a former “boss babe,” I’m qualified to call a spade a spade.

So please don’t break out the emoji copy-pastes on me. After asking the internet for other examples of accepted scams in society, they delivered this list.

1. College Bookstores

College Bookstores are the biggest scam, according to many students. Before the classes, the bookstore will state that you need specific, expensive books for the course, but you can get those texts online for a fraction of the price.

Not to mention, some listed course materials are only used by the professor, making it a waste of money. Someone suggested, “It’s always best to wait until a few days after the course starts to buy your textbooks.”

2. Convenience Fees

Many agree that convenience fees on electronic transactions have become an enormous scam worldwide. In addition, several stated, “the fee is redundant, and they don’t understand why that fee is necessary on top of tax and other service fees.

3. Ticketmaster

Ticketmaster charges an exorbitant fee for purchasing the tickets. For example, one recalled that he attempted to buy a ticket to a hockey game listed for $108.

Yet, the additional fee was $83, only $20 less than the ticket itself. Moreover, many admitted to having similar experiences.

4. Extravagant Weddings

One person suggested that the normality of spending an excessive amount on a wedding is a massive scam in society. “Weddings have become how people show their monetary status.”

No one is saying you shouldn’t be allowed to celebrate your love, “but going into debt before starting your life together is dumb.”

5. Overspending on the Bachelor/Bachelorette Party

Another agreed that weddings, in addition to bachelor and bachelorette parties, should not be expected to be extensive affairs. Instead, these events should have more to do with love and coming together than greed.

6. Fees to Pay Bills/Utilities

Many stated that fees to pay bills are a scam that society has accepted. “You should not need to pay an additional amount on a costly bill,” noted one. It is especially difficult for people in low socioeconomic classes who live paycheck to paycheck. Every dollar counts.

7. Vision and Dental Aren’t Covered by Health Insurance

It was a common agreeance that all health insurance should cover vision and dental. Someone added, “Health insurance is for your body. Teeth and eyes are part of your body. It’s a scam to make more money. For-profit healthcare is a scam, and people suffer because of it.”

8. Unpaid Lunches

Unpaid lunches should not extend your workday. One noted having to work around an unpaid lunch schedule is a scam because this is time that you are missing out on for a basic human necessity.

“Everyone needs to eat. It should be a paid part of your eight-hour day. It shouldn’t stretch you to nine. And it’s mandated.”

9. Jobs That Make You Forego Legal Breaks

Several noted that jobs involving signing documents to forgo all breaks are a scam because they only want you to work longer without giving you reasonable time off. It’s for their benefit, not yours.

10. Overly Expensive Engagement Rings

According to this thread, engagement rings are a scam. Diamond rings are the most common and one of the most expensive types of rings you can buy.

“We are sold on the idea of diamonds being rare, unique, and memorable. But they’re not. They’ve fed us that about diamonds, but they are prevalent. It’s one of the biggest scams.”

11. Qualifying For a Mortgage

Most banks won’t allow you to have a mortgage even if you can prove your rent payments have been on time and in full. One user explained that he had to take a lower-paying position due to a job laying him off.

He still managed his bills, but money was tight. So, he was looking into a mortgage that would mitigate expenses by $400. Yet, he couldn’t be approved because their computer program labeled him too high-risk.

Another added, “Most people paying rent can afford mortgages. That’s the real scam. Rent costs more than a mortgage, and they know it.”

12. Alcohol is Safer

It was the consensus of the thread that alcohol is no less harmful than any illicit substance. Even though it is fed to you the entirety of your life that alcohol isn’t that bad, it heavily impairs your judgment like everything else.

Some argue it’s more dangerous because it’s become widely accepted as the norm. “Some people make wine their entire personality, and somehow society allows that to be ok.”

13. Prisons For Profit

Several Redditors explained that prisons for profit are just an excuse for wealthy parties to make money by treating people poorly.

They run under the guise of reform, but as confirmed by many inmates and families, they are worse than state or federally-funded prisons.

14. Payday Loans

Payday Loans are a terrible predatory business. One noted, “My parents got stuck in the cycle for many years.

When they finally made enough money to stop going to those places, my dad got calls every week from one of them trying to get more money out of him. Finally, he just stopped answering the calls, and eventually, they stopped calling.”

15. Fake Organic Food

According to many U.S. residents, paying extra for items labeled as organic that aren’t is a prevalent scam. Only by looking further into the product would you find out that the brand lied.

What do you think? Did Reddit get this right, or are there legitimate things mentioned on this list of scams? This article is inspired by the internet and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Motherhood Life Balance.

More From Motherhood Life Balance:

Image credit: Depositphotos –
Goodluz