The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is sounding the alarm on potential pitfalls in holiday internet shopping, emphasizing the importance of vigilance to avoid online shopping scams.
Kristen Johnson from the BBB strongly recommends that internet shoppers conduct thorough research on new vendors before making any purchases as part of essential tips to steer clear of deceptive online shopping practices.
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Tips to Avoid Online Shopping Scams by BBB
Johnson advises checking bbb.org/scamtracker to see if others have reported scams related to a business.
"You can also search the business name with 'scam' on Google," Johnson added. This step is crucial in identifying potential online shopping frauds.
She also noted that customers who already purchased without this preliminary check can still potentially find ways to recover their money. Johnson suggests they just need to take a screenshot of the item they thought they were buying.
This step is essential for providing evidence. "If what you receive doesn't match, you can use this as proof when you contact your credit card company to dispute the transaction," Johnson said.
Moreover, BBB told online shoppers to read the fine print. Some deals and freebies might not work on doorbuster items. They can also check if a different business sells for less. When they shop online, they should check the return policies because some places change them around the holidays.
BBB also said that almost a third of all scams reported last year were related to online shopping.
Meanwhile, Nicole Cordero, BBB of Eastern Carolinas Communication Specialist, said that online buyers should check the URL and ensure it says "HTTPS." the "S" means the website is secure. They can go ahead and purchase their desired item.
Additionally, Cordero mentioned that they should check if they are on the official website, as scammers will likely create a lookalike website.
The BBB also wants to warn people about phishing scams, which are calls, texts, and emails that seem too good to be true. Don't click on a link that seems suspicious.
BBB Report: Online Scams have increased by 87% since 2015
Scammers' methods have changed a lot in the last few years. A new BBB study says that since 2015, online scams have grown by 87%. Scams done over the phone dropped by 42% during the same period.
Start With Trust Online: BBB Online Scams study is a new study that looks at how scams are changing. It includes further information about impersonation and online purchase scams.
This study is based on two sets of information: It looks at the more than 300,000 scam reports sent to BBB Scam TrackerSM from 2015 to 2022. It also looks at a poll that was taken in July 2022.
Moreover, in 2022, online frauds are more common (55%) than other delivery methods, and 75% of victims lose money. SMS scams climbed from 11% in 2015 to 30% in 2022 when broken off from phone scams with monetary losses. Text scams lost $800 on average in 2022, more than other methods. Texting was the top-cited offline method for online push.
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