Don’t Get Scammed When Changing Your Address.. It only costs $1

If you don’t move all the time, you may have no idea what is needed when you do change addresses.

It’s usually a fairly simple task – you go to USPS.com, click on Quick Tools and then Change My Address.  The website will charge your credit or debit card $1.05 – to prove that you SHOULD be getting mail there – and then you’re done.

The Better Business Bureau serving West Michigan is warning customers who have tried to change their address and ended up paying $39.95.  The BBB along with the US Postal Inspectors office is advising that you steer clear of fastaddresschange.com which shows up when you google address change but is a scam that tells you it’s only going to cost the $1.05 to change your addy, but then hidden charges come out to be $39.95.

According to Phil Catlett, President of the Better Business Bureau Serving Western Michigan:

“Following a long list of complaints, this company changed the disclosures on its website in 2017 to make the price clear. At that time the disclosures were also specific that the business was not affiliated with the U.S. Postal Service. Unfortunately, between then and December 2018, those disclosures were changed. Now the only price customers see on the main page is $1, even though the service they are purchasing costs $39.95. While there is still a disclaimer about not being affiliated with the government, the wording and location of this disclaimer have been changed, making the message less clear to customers.”

Catlett also says,

“Consumers need to be careful when they sign up for a service online. A website should tell you how much you are being charged before you click the purchase button. Any customer who used a website other than www.usps.com to change an address and wants to request a refund, should contact the business that operates that website."

You can also change your address FOR FREE by just going to the post office and grabbing a form and then putting it in your new mailbox.

The BBB serving West Michigan had the following tips when using government resources, to make sure you’re on the right site:

• Is it a government website? If you believe you are making a purchase through a government agency, make sure you are on the right website before entering your personal information.

• Research the website: If you are using a private service or website, do your research before you buy. Go to bbb.org to see the company rating, complaints, and reviews.

• What should the service cost? Is the service something offered by the government for little or no cost? Compare the government’s price with the cost of the service being offered.

• When in doubt, ask: If you have any doubt at all contact the government agency or the BBB and ask if the offer is legitimate.