Will the pace of scams ever slow? The latest comes from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
With the holiday shopping season nearing its close and buyers wanting to get gifts delivered on time, there’s a sneaky online shopping con being reported to BBB Scam Tracker. Scammers claim a product you purchased is out of stock, but they never process your promised refund.
How the scam works
You see a product online that you want to purchase (shoppers report encountering this scam through social media ads). You click on the link to the company’s website, find the product, and check out.
Shortly after your card is charged, you receive an email saying the product is out of stock and the company will refund your money. You wait several days for the refund to post to your account, but it never does. Then, when you try to contact the online merchant, no one responds.
The truth is, the product likely never existed in the first place, and scammers hope you’ll never notice you didn’t get your refund. However, if you used a credit card, you should be able to contest the charge and get your money back.
How to avoid online shopping scams
Research before you buy. Always research businesses on BBB.org before you purchase, especially if you aren’t familiar with the company.
Read consumer reviews on other websites and do a quick online search for the business name along with the word “scam” to rule out any suspicious activity spotted by other consumers. BBB Accredited Businesses have agreed to abide by the BBB Standards, so look for the BBB Seal: It’s The Sign of a Better Business℠!
Watch out for social media scams. Con artists love using social media to promote their scams. Some red flags include deals that seem too good to be true, phony personalized products, fake coupons, and product links that lead to questionable websites.
Make sure the website is secure. Don’t make purchases from a website that isn’t secure. How can you tell if a website is secure? It should have a tiny lock symbol in the browser bar and start with HTTPS, not just HTTP.
Keep records of your purchase. Keep receipts, order confirmations, and any other correspondence you have with a company that has promised to deliver a product. These documents will come in handy later if you need to contest the purchase.
Use your credit card. It’s always best to use your credit card instead of a debit card to make online purchases. Credit cards offer more protection if you need to report a fraudulent charge.
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RVT1240b
I wish I had done due diligence before buying long underwear from My comfy pants.com BBB has them listed as a scam site. They took an order I’d never completed and sent it when I came back the next day and spent $128 on what was supposed to be silk blend underwear that morphed into 100% polyester when I received it. I never got an order number on the uncompleted order. I now know to void that site and to check ANY mail order site
when these scammers are caught, a sentence of 30 days in the electric chair seems appropriate.