Think you are being ripped off? Here’s how you can avoid holiday shopping scams.
3 Things: The Better Business Bureau says online purchase scams are becoming more common
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - You’re probably doing a lot of your holiday shopping online.
Of course, you want to get the best deal on those must-have gifts.
But, you also need to be careful.
The Better Business Bureau says online purchase scams are becoming more common.
People are buying designer and name-brand products for a great price only to find out they’re fake.
Now, these scams make up about a third of all BBB scam reports. Four out of five people who report them already lost money to them.
Most people lost around $750. So what are the riskiest items and how can you spot the fakes?
We’ve got three things to know.
Thing one is the most commonly scammed items. According to the Better Business Bureau, footwear is the most scammed gift.
Be cautious of anything claiming to be Nike, Adidas or Louboutin.
The most commonly counterfeit clothes claim to be NFL, North Face, NBA or Canada Goose brand.
It’s not just clothes, though. Be careful about gadgets and toys.
That brings us to thing two.
The most commonly ripped-off tech toys claim to be Apple, Samsung, Beats, or Sony.
For toys, LEGO, Pokemon, Funko, and M-G-A L-O-L.
So how do you spot a scam? That’s thing three.
The BBB says start by looking at the typical price for one of these items. If it’s going in the hundreds of dollars range, and typically it costs much more, that’s your first clue. It’s probably too good to be true.
Also, check for grammatical errors.
Those usually indicate the site was put together very quickly.
And search for contact information.
See if you can find a brick-and-mortar location. Finally, check the Better Business Bureau.
If it’s claiming to be a company selling the product, it should be verified through the BBB.
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