John Matarese

John Matarese

John Matarese

Consumer Reporter

John is the “Don’t Waste Your Money” consumer reporter for Scripps, featuring money saving reports and scam alerts that are shared with more than 40 Scripps TV stations from his home base at WCPO-TV in Cincinnati. He is most proud of being able to help people who have been taken advantage of unfairly, and to warn others not to fall into the same situation. Whether it is alerting viewers to fake job scams, fighting an unfair rent hike, or saving money on the weekly grocery bill, John’s goal is to help everyday people save for a better future, and avoid the thousands of cons that are trying to separate us from our hard-earned money.

Recent Work
A Holiday Inn sign is shown in New York.

Why hotel booking sites show the same price, how to find a better deal

An Amazon Prime box moves through the new Amazon Fulfillment Center in Sacramento.

Better Business Bureau warns of Amazon Prime Day scams

Amazon Prime Day website.

How to tackle Amazon Prime Day to find the best deals

Mosquito on arm.

Need bug spray? Here's what to look for and which works best

An Apple iPhone with a cracked screen after a drop test from the DropBot.

Why the Fourth of July is the most dangerous day for your phone

Person grilling out.

Save on your Fourth of July BBQ with these simple swaps

Women exercise on machines in a gym.

Summer fitness: Is it time to get back to the gym?

People walk by the recruiters at a jobs fair in the Pittsburgh suburb of Green Tree, Pa.

AI for job hunting: Smart idea or risky business?

Wedding

Nearly $30,000 for a wedding? How to avoid sticker shock

Gig driver's car busted after accident.

Gig driver? Your auto insurance may not cover you

Checkbook

Why you should never keep all your money in one bank

Apple Air Tag

Luggage trackers: Do they work and are they safe?

Water running on a person's hands.

Sewer and water bills rising sharply: What can you do?

A mosquito stands on human skin.

Mosquito control: What's worth spending money on, what's not

Tool aisle at a hardware store.

Great Father's Day tool gifts for dads

Person presses button on washing machine.

Summer is tough on appliances: How to prevent an expensive breakdown

Mechanic Miguel Borrayo works on a car in Ogden, Utah.

Protect yourself from auto shop unauthorized repairs

A dealership sign is seen outside of Honda certified used car dealership in Schaumburg, Ill.

New report lists the most and least recalled vehicles

Airport delays

Here come summer flight delays: How to avoid and handle the headache

A digital coupon at Kroger

Kroger's new digital coupon rules helps those who struggle with apps

Taylor Swift attends an in conversation with Taylor Swift event at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Taylor Swift ticket trouble: Sellers backing out at the last minute

Electrion lawnmower cutting grass.

Goodbye gas: Electric lawnmowers rapidly taking over

Security checkpoint at Denver International Airport

Are TSA PreCheck or CLEAR worth the cost?

A shopper carries bags past a sale sign in the window of a clothing store on Oxford Street in London.

Memorial Day sales: What to buy, what to wait on

Two cute puppies.

Pet tracking devices: Worth buying or waste of money?

Movers roll boxes containing baseball bats belonging to members of the St. Louis Cardinals onto a moving truck.

Hidden moving costs that can add up to hundreds of dollars

Computer generate image.

Listen how AI can clone your voice, use it in phishing scams

Woman with purple nails getting a manicure.

Stumped for Mother's Day? Surprise her with a wellness gift

The Facebook logo is seen on a cell phone.

How to claim your money from the Facebook class action settlement

Wet purple summer flower

Save on Mother's Day plants and flowers