When you purchase something, it's nice to think you're getting your money's worth.

But unfortunately, the truth is, many companies are shortchanging you in some way.

Often they achieve this by using sneaky manipulation that you probably don't even notice to squeeze extra cash out of you.

But stay tuned, because by the end of this podcast, you'll know how to spot these sneaky tactics and avoid being swindled.

Be amazed. Companies know that turning the pressure up is an extremely effective way of turning an uncertain potential customer into a guaranteed sale.

Online sellers often create that sense of pressure and scarcity by listing how many people are viewing a product at that moment.

But what few people realize is that many of these now watching numbers are completely fake.

One Twitter user uncovered an instance of this by inspecting the coding of the displayed number of people looking at a specific flight on an airline's website.

They soon made the eyebrow-raising discovery that the displayed number was determined

by a random number generator. A lot of companies are currently under investigation for this

borderline illegal practice, so next time you see a now-watching number online, boot up Chrome,

right-click and choose Inspect. You may be surprised at what you find.

One of the most common forms of customer deception is the packaging used on toilet paper.

Often you'll see nonsensical numbers on the side comparing how many roles are in one role or in a different role.

These nonsensical numbers and comparisons are designed to confuse you into buying

the package with the largest number displayed. What's more, the packaging will make comparisons

against a regular role, but there's no industry standard for what regular even means.

It's a completely arbitrary measurement set by the manufacturer.

For all you know, they could be comparing a 1,000 sheet roll against a standard roll with only 50 sheets.

To avoid getting sucked up into this nonsense, look for the listed quantity and square feet on the packaging, so you know what you're getting.

An even more important thing to check

for in store is the weight of items. Some Doritos, for example, claim to be a bigger bag for sharing.

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