The time period in query denotes a fraudulent scheme usually focusing on Amazon customers. This illicit exercise sometimes includes unauthorized prices of $99.99 showing on buyer accounts, usually linked to purported subscriptions or companies they didn’t knowingly authorize. Victims might uncover these prices unexpectedly on their financial institution statements or bank card payments, prompting investigation and potential dispute.
Addressing this particular fraudulent exercise is essential as a result of it could possibly result in monetary loss for affected people. Moreover, it erodes belief in on-line marketplaces like Amazon, which depend on safe transactions and buyer confidence. Understanding the strategies utilized in these schemes and preventative measures is crucial for sustaining a protected on-line procuring setting. Traditionally, such scams have tailored with evolving expertise, necessitating steady vigilance.
The next dialogue will delve into the varied ways employed by perpetrators, the psychological components that contribute to victims falling prey to those schemes, and the steps people can take to guard themselves from turning into victims of the sort of on-line fraud. Evaluation of reporting mechanisms and accessible recourse choices for these affected can even be introduced.
1. Unauthorized Cost
The presence of an unauthorized cost is the defining attribute of the fraudulent scheme focusing on Amazon customers. This prevalence, particularly a $99.99 cost, steadily indicators that an account has been compromised or concerned in misleading practices. Understanding the varied sides of this unauthorized cost is essential for efficient prevention and response.
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Supply of the Cost
The unauthorized cost sometimes originates from a supply unknown to the account holder. It might be disguised as a recurring subscription price for a service that was by no means requested or explicitly agreed upon. These prices can stem from compromised accounts, fraudulently created accounts linked to stolen cost info, or misleading advertising ways the place customers are unwittingly enrolled in subscription companies.
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Mechanism of Implementation
The unauthorized cost is commonly carried out by automated billing methods or subscription administration platforms built-in throughout the Amazon ecosystem. Perpetrators exploit vulnerabilities in these methods or leverage misleading person interface designs to enroll people with out their clear consent. The cost could also be intentionally set at $99.99 to look much less conspicuous amongst authentic transactions, probably delaying detection by the account holder.
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Affect on Account Holders
The impression extends past the rapid monetary loss. Discovering an unauthorized cost can result in vital misery, inconvenience, and time spent disputing the transaction with Amazon and monetary establishments. Moreover, the compromised account might expose the sufferer to identification theft and additional fraudulent actions, requiring heightened vigilance and protecting measures.
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Dispute and Restoration
The method of disputing an unauthorized cost includes contacting Amazon buyer help and, if needed, the bank card issuer. Profitable decision sometimes requires offering proof of the unauthorized nature of the transaction and submitting a proper dispute. Whereas restoration of the funds is commonly attainable, the method may be time-consuming and require appreciable effort on the a part of the account holder. Prevention is paramount in mitigating the chance of encountering these conditions.
The varied sides of the unauthorized cost, from its misleading origin to its disruptive impression and the difficult restoration course of, spotlight the insidious nature of the sort of rip-off. The constant recurrence of the $99.99 quantity reinforces the deliberate and coordinated nature of the fraudulent exercise, underscoring the necessity for proactive measures to safeguard private and monetary info.
2. Subscription Entice
A “subscription entice” is intricately related to the fraudulent scheme involving unauthorized $99.99 prices on Amazon. This connection manifests as a misleading tactic the place people are unknowingly or misleadingly enrolled in recurring subscription companies. The preliminary entry level would possibly seem authentic, maybe supplied as a trial or bundled with one other buy. Nonetheless, the phrases of the subscription are sometimes obscured, requiring customers to actively opt-out inside a restricted timeframe to keep away from recurring prices. The failure to cancel inside this window triggers the automated billing of $99.99 or comparable quantities, usually with out specific notification.
The “subscription entice” is a significant factor of the general scheme as a result of it supplies a seemingly justifiable foundation for the unauthorized cost. Victims might initially dismiss the cost as a authentic subscription they forgot about, delaying investigation and dispute. An actual-life instance includes a person enticed by a reduced product on Amazon; hidden throughout the phrases and situations was enrollment in a month-to-month service with difficult-to-find cancellation directions. Solely after the $99.99 cost appeared did the person notice that they had fallen sufferer to the subscription entice. Understanding this connection is virtually vital as a result of it highlights the significance of meticulously reviewing all phrases and situations earlier than agreeing to any supply on Amazon, no matter its preliminary enchantment.
In abstract, the “subscription entice” serves as a mechanism for initiating and legitimizing the unauthorized $99.99 cost. By disguising the cost as a authentic subscription price, it reduces the chance of rapid detection and will increase the possibilities of profitable fraud. Consciousness of this connection, coupled with diligent overview of phrases and situations, represents a crucial protection towards falling sufferer to this fraudulent scheme. The problem lies within the deliberate obfuscation of subscription particulars, necessitating proactive vigilance from Amazon customers.
3. Account Compromise
Account compromise represents a major gateway for the illicit exercise usually related to unauthorized prices on Amazon. When an Amazon account is compromised, perpetrators acquire entry to saved cost info, private particulars, and buy historical past, which they’ll exploit to provoke fraudulent transactions, together with the misleading $99.99 cost.
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Stolen Credentials
Compromised accounts steadily consequence from stolen login credentials obtained by phishing assaults, information breaches on unrelated web sites, or malware infections. As soon as in possession of a person’s username and password, criminals can entry the Amazon account and provoke unauthorized purchases or subscriptions. As an illustration, a large-scale information breach on a social media platform would possibly expose thousands and thousands of e mail addresses and passwords, a few of which can be used to entry Amazon accounts if people reuse credentials throughout a number of companies. The implication is direct: compromised credentials change into the important thing to initiating fraudulent actions underneath the guise of the authentic account holder.
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Fee Data Publicity
Account compromise instantly exposes saved cost info, together with bank card numbers, expiration dates, and billing addresses. This info permits perpetrators to bypass commonplace transaction verification processes and execute fraudulent prices with minimal resistance. A compromised account, for instance, might have a number of bank cards related to it, offering criminals with varied choices for initiating unauthorized prices till one is flagged or the account holder notices the suspicious exercise. The ramifications prolong past the one $99.99 cost, because the uncovered cost info can be utilized for different fraudulent purchases and even bought on the darkish net.
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Subscription Exploitation
Compromised accounts allow perpetrators to enroll victims in undesirable subscription companies, usually hidden inside obscure phrases and situations or disguised as authentic presents. These subscriptions set off recurring prices, together with the recurring $99.99 fraud. An actual-life state of affairs includes a compromised account being enrolled in a “premium” service promising quicker transport and unique offers, which seems to be a fraudulent scheme designed to siphon cash by month-to-month prices. The exploitation of subscription companies provides a layer of complexity to the fraud, as victims should actively cancel the subscription to forestall additional unauthorized prices, requiring vigilance and immediate motion.
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Id Theft Facilitation
Past the rapid monetary loss, account compromise facilitates identification theft by granting perpetrators entry to a wealth of non-public info, together with names, addresses, cellphone numbers, and buy historical past. This info can be utilized for varied fraudulent functions, equivalent to opening new credit score accounts, submitting fraudulent tax returns, or partaking in different types of identity-based crime. A compromised account, as an illustration, might present entry to the sufferer’s tackle, permitting the perpetrator to intercept mail and procure additional private info wanted to perpetuate identification theft. The long-term penalties of identification theft may be extreme, requiring vital effort and time to rectify and probably damaging the sufferer’s credit standing and monetary standing.
These sides of account compromise display how vulnerabilities in account safety may be instantly exploited to provoke fraudulent transactions, together with the unauthorized $99.99 cost. The connection underscores the significance of implementing sturdy safety measures, equivalent to robust, distinctive passwords, two-factor authentication, and common monitoring of account exercise, to mitigate the chance of account compromise and forestall related fraudulent actions. Failure to deal with these vulnerabilities leaves people vulnerable to monetary loss and potential identification theft.
4. Phishing Makes an attempt
Phishing makes an attempt are a major mechanism used to provoke the fraudulent scheme involving unauthorized $99.99 prices on Amazon. These makes an attempt sometimes contain misleading emails, textual content messages, or cellphone calls that impersonate Amazon or associated entities. The target is to trick people into divulging delicate info, equivalent to login credentials, cost particulars, or private information, which is then used to compromise accounts or conduct fraudulent transactions. For instance, a recipient would possibly obtain an e mail claiming there is a matter with their Amazon account, prompting them to click on a hyperlink to “confirm” their info. The hyperlink directs to a faux web site that mimics the Amazon login web page, permitting perpetrators to steal the person’s credentials.
The significance of phishing makes an attempt throughout the context of the $99.99 fraud can’t be overstated. They function the preliminary level of entry, bypassing safety measures and exploiting human vulnerabilities. By efficiently deceiving people into offering their login particulars or cost info, perpetrators acquire entry to Amazon accounts or the means to make unauthorized purchases. Moreover, phishing assaults usually leverage psychological ways, equivalent to creating a way of urgency or concern, to strain people into performing impulsively with out scrutinizing the request. The prevalence of phishing campaigns underscores the necessity for elevated person consciousness and training relating to the ways employed by cybercriminals. Actual-world examples embrace emails mimicking Amazon customer support, falsely informing recipients of suspicious exercise on their accounts and requesting rapid verification of cost particulars. Failure to acknowledge these misleading ways can have rapid and extreme monetary penalties.
In abstract, phishing makes an attempt are an integral part of the $99.99 fraud, facilitating account compromise and enabling unauthorized prices. Understanding the strategies utilized in these phishing assaults, and selling heightened consciousness amongst Amazon customers, is crucial for mitigating the chance of turning into a sufferer. The problem lies within the evolving sophistication of phishing strategies, requiring steady vigilance and adaptation of safety measures. Strengthening account safety, verifying communication legitimacy instantly with Amazon, and exercising warning when clicking hyperlinks or offering private info are crucial steps in stopping phishing assaults from resulting in fraudulent prices.
5. False Promoting
False promoting serves as a contributing issue, and generally a direct instigator, of the illicit exercise surrounding unauthorized $99.99 prices related to Amazon accounts. On this context, false promoting encompasses misleading promotions, deceptive product descriptions, and obscured phrases of service that in the end lead customers to unknowingly conform to recurring subscriptions or hidden charges. These misleading practices exploit the belief customers place within the Amazon market and its related sellers.
The connection is steadily manifested by bundled presents or “free trial” schemes which are closely marketed however include opaque phrases relating to computerized enrollment in subscription companies following the trial interval. Shoppers, attracted by the preliminary supply, might fail to scrutinize the advantageous print, resulting in surprising $99.99 prices after the trial concludes. Think about, for instance, a promoted software program suite with a seemingly free trial; buried throughout the prolonged phrases of service is computerized enrollment in a premium subscription that triggers a $99.99 month-to-month cost if the person doesn’t proactively cancel earlier than the trial expires. The misleading nature of the commercial lies not solely in what it explicitly states, but in addition in what it omits or obscures. The sensible significance of recognizing this hyperlink lies in fostering a extra skeptical strategy to internet advertising and meticulously reviewing all phrases and situations earlier than committing to any supply.
Due to this fact, false promoting acts as a gateway, main people into conditions the place unauthorized prices change into a actuality. Addressing this connection is essential for shielding customers from misleading practices and sustaining the integrity of on-line marketplaces. The problem lies within the evolving sophistication of false promoting strategies, necessitating steady vigilance from each customers and regulatory our bodies charged with oversight of promoting requirements. Finally, recognizing the function of false promoting in these schemes empowers customers to make extra knowledgeable buying selections and report misleading practices, contributing to a safer on-line setting.
6. Stolen Data
Stolen info types a cornerstone within the perpetration of fraudulent schemes involving unauthorized prices on Amazon accounts. The acquisition and utilization of compromised private and monetary information instantly facilitate the initiation and execution of those illicit actions, together with the recurring $99.99 rip-off. With out entry to stolen info, perpetrators would face vital challenges in bypassing safety measures and impersonating authentic account holders.
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Compromised Fee Credentials
Stolen bank card numbers, expiration dates, and CVV codes are instantly utilized to make unauthorized purchases and subscribe victims to undesirable companies. This info, usually obtained by information breaches, phishing assaults, or skimming units, allows perpetrators to bypass commonplace transaction verification processes. For instance, a database containing 1000’s of bank card numbers stolen from a compromised retailer may be exploited to provoke quite a few unauthorized prices on Amazon, together with the $99.99 subscription rip-off. The implications are rapid and financially damaging, leaving victims answerable for disputing fraudulent transactions and probably affecting their credit score scores.
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Account Login Particulars
Stolen usernames and passwords present direct entry to Amazon accounts, permitting perpetrators to make unauthorized purchases, modify account settings, and entry saved cost info. These credentials are steadily acquired by phishing emails, malware infections, or the reuse of compromised passwords throughout a number of platforms. A profitable phishing marketing campaign focusing on Amazon customers can yield 1000’s of legitimate login credentials, enabling perpetrators to entry accounts and provoke fraudulent actions on an enormous scale. The implications prolong past monetary loss, as compromised accounts can also expose private info, facilitate identification theft, and erode belief in on-line safety.
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Private Figuring out Data (PII)
Stolen PII, equivalent to names, addresses, cellphone numbers, and dates of start, allows perpetrators to impersonate victims, open fraudulent accounts, and bypass safety checks. This info is commonly obtained by information breaches, social engineering, or the acquisition of stolen information on the darkish net. As an illustration, entry to a sufferer’s full title, tackle, and date of start permits a perpetrator to create a fraudulent Amazon account utilizing the sufferer’s identification, enabling them to make unauthorized purchases or subscribe to undesirable companies. The ramifications are far-reaching, probably resulting in identification theft, monetary fraud, and authorized issues for the sufferer.
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Saved Amazon Account Information
Data instantly related to an Amazon account, equivalent to buy historical past, saved addresses, and cost strategies, may be exploited to conduct extra subtle fraud. This information supplies perpetrators with insights into the sufferer’s buying habits and preferences, enabling them to craft extra convincing phishing emails or goal them with customized scams. A perpetrator who features entry to a sufferer’s Amazon account and discovers that they steadily buy electronics, as an illustration, would possibly ship a focused phishing e mail providing a “low cost” on a well-liked digital machine, main the sufferer to expose additional private or monetary info. The detailed understanding of the sufferer’s account profile enhances the effectiveness of fraudulent schemes and will increase the chance of success.
In conclusion, stolen info is an indispensable factor within the execution of the $99.99 Amazon rip-off. The compromise of cost credentials, login particulars, private figuring out info, and saved account information supplies perpetrators with the means to bypass safety measures, impersonate authentic customers, and provoke fraudulent transactions. Understanding the multifaceted function of stolen info is essential for implementing efficient preventative measures, enhancing account safety, and mitigating the chance of falling sufferer to some of these on-line scams.
7. Refund Issues
The presence of unauthorized $99.99 prices on Amazon steadily initiates a posh and irritating course of to safe a refund. The issues encountered throughout this course of underscore the challenges victims face past the preliminary monetary loss, including layers of inconvenience and potential additional monetary threat.
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Dispute Documentation Necessities
Acquiring a refund usually requires in depth documentation to substantiate the declare of unauthorized exercise. Amazon might request transaction data, financial institution statements, and detailed explanations of the circumstances surrounding the cost. Victims might encounter difficulties in gathering the required documentation, particularly if the unauthorized transaction occurred a while in the past or if the sufferer’s account was compromised with out their rapid data. The dearth of ample documentation can delay the refund course of and even end in denial of the refund request. For instance, a buyer who discovers a $99.99 cost weeks after it occurred might wrestle to find the related transaction particulars, hindering their capacity to show the fraudulent nature of the cost.
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Delayed Investigation Timelines
Amazon’s investigation into disputed prices can take a major period of time, throughout which the sufferer’s funds stay tied up. The investigation course of sometimes includes reviewing account exercise, contacting the vendor or service supplier related to the cost, and assessing the proof supplied by the sufferer. Throughout this time, the sufferer might expertise monetary hardship, notably if the $99.99 cost represents a considerable portion of their accessible funds. The delayed investigation timelines can exacerbate the stress and frustration related to the unauthorized cost. An actual-life instance would contain a buyer going through overdraft charges as a result of $99.99 cost, who should wait weeks for Amazon to finish its investigation earlier than receiving a refund.
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Third-Social gathering Vendor Involvement
If the unauthorized cost originates from a third-party vendor on Amazon, the refund course of can change into much more complicated. Amazon might require the sufferer to contact the vendor instantly to aim to resolve the problem earlier than intervening. This could result in communication difficulties, unresponsive sellers, or disputes over the legitimacy of the cost. Even when Amazon in the end intervenes, the method may be considerably extended, rising the sufferer’s frustration and probably delaying the refund. As an illustration, a fraudulent subscription service masquerading as a authentic product on Amazon is likely to be troublesome to hint again to its origin, making it difficult to acquire a refund by commonplace channels.
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Reversal Issues and Additional Fraud Makes an attempt
Even after a refund is issued, issues can come up if perpetrators try and reverse the refund by fraudulent means. This would possibly contain contacting Amazon with false claims or making an attempt to make use of stolen bank card info to dispute the refund itself. Victims can also be focused with follow-up phishing scams geared toward acquiring additional private or monetary info underneath the guise of resolving the preliminary unauthorized cost. Such makes an attempt can extend the refund course of and probably expose victims to additional monetary threat. An instance features a sufferer receiving a cellphone name purportedly from Amazon, requesting further info to “verify” the refund, which is, in actuality, an try and steal their bank card particulars.
These sides of refund issues underscore the multifaceted challenges related to recovering funds from unauthorized prices on Amazon. The mix of documentation necessities, delayed investigations, third-party involvement, and potential for additional fraud makes an attempt contributes to a posh and infrequently irritating expertise for victims. Efficiently navigating these issues requires persistence, meticulous record-keeping, and an intensive understanding of Amazon’s refund insurance policies. The challenges related to acquiring refunds spotlight the significance of proactive measures to forestall unauthorized prices within the first place, equivalent to commonly monitoring account exercise and implementing sturdy safety measures.
Often Requested Questions Concerning Unauthorized $99.99 Amazon Costs
This part addresses frequent inquiries and issues relating to unauthorized prices of $99.99 steadily related to fraudulent actions focusing on Amazon accounts. The data supplied is meant to supply readability and steerage.
Query 1: What does it imply when a $99.99 cost seems on one’s financial institution assertion originating from Amazon when no such buy was licensed?
An unauthorized $99.99 cost signifies a possible compromise of the Amazon account or the usage of stolen cost info. The cost is often linked to a subscription or buy initiated with out specific consent from the account holder.
Query 2: How does one decide if one has been a sufferer of this scheme?
Victimization is set by the presence of a $99.99 cost on a financial institution assertion or bank card invoice related to Amazon that can’t be traced again to a authentic buy or subscription initiated by the account holder or a certified person.
Query 3: What rapid steps ought to one take upon discovering an unauthorized $99.99 cost?
The rapid steps embrace contacting Amazon buyer help to report the fraudulent cost, altering the Amazon account password, and notifying the monetary establishment related to the affected cost methodology to provoke a dispute and probably cancel the compromised card.
Query 4: What recourse choices can be found for victims of this fraud?
Recourse choices embrace disputing the cost with the monetary establishment, looking for a refund from Amazon, submitting a report with the Federal Commerce Fee (FTC), and monitoring credit score studies for indicators of identification theft.
Query 5: How can one forestall turning into a sufferer of comparable scams sooner or later?
Prevention methods embrace utilizing robust, distinctive passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, commonly monitoring account exercise, being cautious of phishing emails, and avoiding clicking on suspicious hyperlinks.
Query 6: Is Amazon answerable for unauthorized prices ensuing from compromised accounts?
Amazon’s legal responsibility in instances of unauthorized prices is set on a case-by-case foundation, contemplating components such because the account holder’s safety practices, the circumstances surrounding the compromise, and Amazon’s personal safety measures. Whereas Amazon sometimes presents refunds for fraudulent prices, the extent of their legal responsibility might fluctuate.
Key takeaways emphasize the significance of proactive safety measures, immediate reporting of suspicious exercise, and diligent monitoring of economic accounts to mitigate the chance of turning into a sufferer. Understanding accessible recourse choices supplies a framework for addressing unauthorized prices successfully.
The next part will tackle the psychological vulnerabilities that perpetrators exploit when executing these scams.
Ideas
The next suggestions define actionable steps to safeguard towards unauthorized prices and fraudulent exercise generally related to the time period.
Tip 1: Implement Multi-Issue Authentication: Activate multi-factor authentication (MFA) on the Amazon account. MFA provides an extra layer of safety past the password, requiring verification through a secondary machine, equivalent to a smartphone, earlier than granting entry. This considerably reduces the chance of unauthorized entry, even when the password is compromised.
Tip 2: Make the most of Robust and Distinctive Passwords: Make use of a strong password administration system to generate and retailer complicated, distinctive passwords for every on-line account, together with Amazon. Keep away from reusing passwords throughout a number of platforms. A powerful password ought to encompass a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, with a minimal size of 12 characters.
Tip 3: Commonly Overview Account Exercise: Persistently monitor Amazon account exercise, together with order historical past, cost strategies, and subscription settings. Examine any unfamiliar or suspicious transactions instantly. Immediate detection can reduce the monetary impression of unauthorized exercise and facilitate well timed reporting.
Tip 4: Train Warning with Electronic mail Communications: Be cautious of unsolicited emails or messages claiming to be from Amazon that request private or monetary info. Confirm the authenticity of such communications by instantly contacting Amazon buyer help by the official web site or cellphone quantity. Don’t click on on hyperlinks or open attachments from suspicious sources.
Tip 5: Safe Saved Fee Data: Restrict the variety of cost strategies saved on the Amazon account. Overview current cost strategies periodically and take away any outdated or unused playing cards. This reduces the potential for unauthorized prices if the account is compromised.
Tip 6: Monitor Credit score Reviews: Commonly overview credit score studies from main credit score bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) for any indicators of fraudulent exercise, equivalent to unauthorized accounts or inquiries. Early detection of identification theft might help mitigate the long-term harm to credit score historical past and monetary well-being.
Tip 7: Allow Transaction Alerts: Configure transaction alerts with the financial institution or bank card issuer to obtain notifications for all purchases made on the related accounts. This permits for rapid detection of any unauthorized exercise, whatever the quantity.
Persistently adhering to those preventative measures considerably reduces the vulnerability to fraudulent schemes and safeguards towards the monetary and private repercussions of compromised accounts.
The concluding part will summarize the important thing findings and supply a remaining name to motion.
Conclusion
This examination of the fraudulent exercise generally known as “amazon 99.99 rip-off” has illuminated the varied sides of this illicit scheme. Evaluation has encompassed the strategies of operation, starting from phishing and account compromise to misleading promoting and subscription traps. Additional explored have been the complexities confronted by victims in securing refunds and the essential function of stolen info in facilitating these fraudulent transactions.
Vigilance stays probably the most potent protection towards these evolving threats. People should prioritize sturdy safety measures, diligently monitor account exercise, and train warning when interacting with unsolicited communications. Failure to take action leaves one vulnerable to monetary loss and potential identification theft, with long-term penalties. Continuous adaptation to rising threats and proactive implementation of preventative methods are paramount in safeguarding towards the pervasive threat posed by the “amazon 99.99 rip-off.”
