Retail experts urge vigilance when making online purchases this holiday season
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - If you prefer to shop online, be extra careful this time of year as retail experts say a deal that sounds too good to be true, is probably a scam.
Inflation, supply, and labor shortages continue to drive up prices so if you see something listed with a deep discount, the Better Business Bureau [BBB] said to be very cautious.
“Supply and demand go together,” said Roseann Freitas of the BBB. “So, the lower the supply, the higher the demand, you’re not going to see discounted prices.”
The BBB said since 2015, online scams have spiked by 87%. That’s because more people are shopping online and in turn, scammers are using more sophisticated tactics.
“They pick companies that people want to buy from,” said Freitas. “And they go ahead and mimic it, and they impersonate it.”
“And we’re going to see that more and more during this holiday season.”
Tina Yamaki, President of the Retail Merchants of Hawaii said it’s happening here in the islands.
“We’ve seen a lot of online websites that are having, you know, these really great sales like you could buy designer handbags for really cheap,” said Yamaki. “They have deep discounts 90% off, but a lot of times, it’s websites we’ve never really heard of.”
As you make online purchases, retail experts said to make your shopping list upfront, set your budget, be savvy and think rationally.
“Taking our emotions out of the equation,” said Freitas. “Don’t think with I need to have this, this is a great deal.”
Another tip — Do your research.
“Look at the website and look at the reviews and Google them online to see, you know, what is this thing? You know, is it a scam? Are they legitimate? Has people had problems?” said Yamaki. “And also look at what are their return policies.”
If you don’t find anything on the BBB’s Website or Google, other than their website, Freitas said that is also a red flag.
“Because that probably means it’s a brand-new website and a lot of times what they do is they start a website, they run it until they get caught, and then they shut it down,” said Freitas.
Experts said you can protect your bank account by using a credit card for online purchases instead of a debit card.
Use the BBB Scam Tracker to find or report a scam.
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