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From the Bureau: Watch for scams during summer sales
If a deal is too good to be true, it’s likely a fake
By Bobby Hansen, - Better Business Bureau
Aug. 4, 2024 5:00 am
The annual sales of big-name retailers often take place in midsummer.
More deals are great for consumers, and more people out shopping is great for businesses large and small.
Just be careful, and don't get so caught up in the excitement that you fall for phishing scams, misleading advertisements and look-alike websites.
Here are some Better Business Bureau tips if you’re shopping online for summer sales:
- Research the seller or retailer. Before buying, check customer reviews of the product(s) and, if interested in making a purchase, do some research on the retailer. Find contact information for the seller, and make note of it. Look up the retailer on BBB.org to see if it is BBB-accredited, then check out its profile for complaints and to read customer reviews.
- Watch for email and text phishing attempts that appear to come from a popular retailer. Phishing efforts increase during busy shopping days. These messages may claim a gift is waiting for you, that there are issues regarding a payment or there is a problem completing a delivery. Think before you click and see if the sender has a legitimate business email address.
- Scrutinize social media ads. There are look-alike websites that appear to belong to a trusted retailer. But looking closely at the URL, note if the domain name is slightly different (i.e., Popularstore.com might be PopvlarStore.com). Ensure websites use the correct business spelling, have legitimate contact and customer service information. When evaluating a company claiming to sell a very underpriced hot item, it’s probably untrue.
- Beware of look-alike websites. Check the URL, watch for bad grammar, make sure to research the domain creation, search for contact information and check that information and read online reviews for details as to customer experience. When making purchases, keep a record of where they’re from and any tracking numbers. Watch out for fake package delivery texts and don't click on suspicious links.
- Professional photos do not mean it’s a real offer. Photos can be stolen from other websites, so don’t believe what you see. Sometimes virtually all content on a site is plagiarized. If logos or other images on the website appear blurry, or just vaguely different from the real site, take that as a red flag for a scam.
- Make sure the website is secure. Look for “https” in the URL (the extra “s” is for “secure”) and a small lock icon on the address bar. Never enter payment or personal information into a website with only “HTTP.” It is NOT secure.
- Be careful when purchasing sought-after products. If something is sold out everywhere, don’t be tempted by a seemingly great deal. Scammers often trick shoppers by offering the most popular products at low prices. Receiving low quality counterfeit products or no product at all are common problems reported to the BBB Scam Tracker.
- Pay with a credit card. It’s always best to make online purchases with a credit card. If any inappropriate charges pop up later, contest them through your credit card company. Credit card disputes have specific timelines and requirements. Be very wary of any retailer that requires payment by digital wallet apps, prepaid money cards or other non-traditional payment methods. These are red flags for scams.
Bobby Hansen is regional director for the Better Business Bureau Cedar Rapids office. Comments: (319) 365-1190; info@dm.bbb.org
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