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
An Amazon package sits by the mailbox at Jason Goldberg's Chicago apartment.

Stop porch pirates with these simple steps

A home with outdoor Christmas lights and inflatable snowman.

Great ways to save money on Christmas decorations

Man shopping during Black Friday.

These are the deals you should look for on Black Friday

Woman uses laptop to shop online.

How to stay safe when holiday shopping online

Displays of cranberry sauce, green beans and soups set up for Thanksgiving feasts in a grocery store.

How to save on Thanksgiving dinner this year

Automobile traffic jams Route 93 South in Boston.

Secrets to painless holiday travel, whether you are flying or driving

Electric vehicle plugged into electricity.

EVs are more affordable than ever: Is now the time to buy?

Spectrum of the Seas cruise ship is docked at Kai Tak cruise terminal in Hong Kong.

Vantage Travel bankruptcy means travelers may never see refunds

A person counts money.

Easy way to find unclaimed funds in your name

A person counts multiple $20 bills.

How to ask for a raise for 2024, and the mistake many people make

Person standing inside a storage unit.

Self-storage prices soaring: Do you really need a storage unit?

Vinyl siding on a home

Vinyl siding is melting on thousands of homes: Why and what to do

Dwayne Crutchfield working on his pickup truck.

Auto expenses we often pay for that often we don't need

Several people carry buckets of candy.

Save on last-minute Halloween candy and costumes

A "for sale" sign is posted in front of a home in Sacramento, California.

Young buyers turning to shared home ownership to afford a house

A person presses buttons on an ATM.

Unnecessary fees can cost you hundreds a year. What can you cut?

A pile of dollar bills

Can you really get good financial advice on social media?

Person holds a prescription pill bottle.

Simple ways to save hundreds of dollars on prescriptions

Stock photo of a home gym.

Things you probably don't need to pay for in your home

Children with costumes and candy.

Secrets to save on your Halloween candy

Text message that appears to be a delivery scam.

Text message scams surging: Know the warning signs of a 'robotext'

A Social Security card

Millions of Social Security recipients may have to return overpayments

Signs for Family Dollar and Dollar General

Dollar store groceries: Do they save money and are they safe?

Rows of Amazon Prime delivery vans are stored in a parking lot

October Prime Days vs. Black Friday: Which has better deals?

A person with their cell phone

Free public Wi-Fi is fast and convenient, but comes with risks

MGM Grand resort in Las Vegas

MGM Resorts cyberattack won't be the last; how to protect yourself

Elon Musk attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala.

Is Elon Musk really selling a home energy-saving device?

Graduation cap standing on a pile of money.

Student loan scams surge as payments resume

The iPhone 15 Plus phone is shown during an announcement of new products on the Apple campus.

As iPhone 15 goes on sale, should you upgrade your phone or wait?

Person shops on online baby store site.

Beware of fake clearance sales on social media