Combine the usual holiday shopping madness with news of global supply shortages and you’ll see more people shopping sooner and differently than they used to.
All of this ripens the season for scammers to do business with consumers on hurried Christmas and Hanukkah.
TransUnion’s recently released Consumer Holiday Shopping Report found that 72% of surveyed consumers are considering changing their online shopping behavior because of possible low inventory.
Specifically, 33% are shopping earlier than last year, 25% are considering alternative gifts, and 14% are shopping less for the holiday season due to concerns about supply shortages.
Of the staggering 83% of people who plan to do more than half of their shopping online, 44% consider new retailers they are familiar with, and nearly a quarter consider new stores they have never heard of. it is open.
For scammers, it’s a welcome shopping season this year. That’s because it’s not hard to set up a fake online his marketplace or buying site. These sites either don’t deliver or send you items you didn’t order and are much less valuable.
These sites can also pretend to be legitimate retailers and appear to carry trusted, well-known brands.
The main rules of fraud detection apply here. If it’s too good to be true, it’s likely too good to be true and you’re looking at a giant red flag. Particularly susceptible are shoppers who are craving items that may be out of stock.
The Better Business Bureau talks about an online shopper who was tricked into buying a Nintendo Switch OLED for $99.99.
“There should have been a clue there,” says BBB.
But consumers continued to buy several “discounted” PlayStation 5 consoles, again at $99.99, once again ridiculously low. It’s been an ass deal all along.
“Of course, a confirmation number will be emailed to you,” says BBB. “But if you can get something else, you’ll be lucky. Alternatively, you can find someone to help you track your order or get a refund.”
Here are some shopping tips, courtesy of the BBB and the Federal Trade Commission. I wish you good luck.
• Beware of fake discounts and “flash sales” advertised online and on social media.
• Research the seller by searching online for the words “complaint” and “fraud” in addition to the name of the seller and product before making a purchase. Read customer reviews.
• Please call the customer service number provided before ordering. working number?
• You pay by credit card so you can dispute the charge if necessary and limit your financial loss. Of course, if you’re told to pay by wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or cash, skip the whole thing and start over.
• Keep a copy of your receipt and order confirmation until you know you have received your purchase and are not returning it.
• Visit the carrier’s website and enter the code provided to verify the shipping information received and verify if it is legal.
• To detect fake websites, scrutinize URLs for even a single character that may differ from a legitimate store, and look for “https” in URLs to ensure sites are safe. Confirm that The ‘s’ stands for ‘secure’.
If it sounds like a scam, please contact Ellen Marks at emarks@abqjournal.com or (505) 823-3842. To report fraud to law enforcement, contact the New She Mexico Consumer Protection Division toll-free at 1 (888) 255-9210 or at www.nmag.gov/file-a-complaint.aspx File a complaint.
