THE SCAM
The price that doubles at checkout.
You search for contact lenses and see a low price. You click, pick your lenses, and start checking out.
Then a mandatory charge labeled "Taxes & fees" shows up deep in the checkout. According to a complaint the FTC filed with Utah and Nevada on October 2, Lens.com advertised low prices in search ads and on its site, then added fees that routinely doubled the advertised price. The complaint says the practice cost shoppers hundreds of millions of dollars and made it hard to compare the real price with other sellers. It also questions how clearly the company's AutoRefill subscription explained its added fees and cancellation.
THE RED FLAG
The first price is not the price you will pay. A large, mandatory fee appears late, after you have already picked the product and invested time in the order.
Watch the label, too. A fee called "Taxes & fees" can sound like a normal government tax, even when the added amount is set by the seller. If the total jumps at the last step and the charge is hard to find or explain, stop.
THE RULE
Never compare products by the advertised price alone. Compare the final, out-the-door total — including every mandatory fee and shipping — before you enter payment details.
If a seller hides the real total until deep in checkout, walk away and check another seller. For subscriptions, read what you will be charged, how often, and exactly how to cancel before you sign up.
(Source: FTC press release, October 2, 2026)
SIGN-OFF
That's today's red flag. One scam, one red flag, one rule — pass it to someone who clicks first and asks questions later.
Got a scam text or a sketchy email? Send it via the contact page — the best ones make future red flags.