Looking forward to deals and deep discounts on Amazon Prime Day (July 8-11)? You’re not alone. Many retailers — including Walmart, Target, and Kohl’s — will also be offering discounted pricing on those days. Unfortunately, more deals also mean more chances for scammers to take advantage of eager shoppers. BBB reminds consumers to watch out for phishing scams, misleading advertisements, and lookalike websites designed to steal your money or personal information.
“Some of the biggest online retailers will be offering deep discounts,” said Mechele Agbayani Mills, President and CEO of BBB Serving Central East Texas. “This also means a big payday for scam artists, so please take steps to protect your information and be cautious about what you click.”
BBB tips for online shopping:
Research the seller or retailer. Before you buy, take time to read customer reviews and research the company. Be sure you can find contact information for the seller, and make note of it. Make sure you can locate valid contact information, and look up the business on BBB.org to see if they are BBB Accredited and check out their profile to get a good overall picture of the company.
Watch for email and text phishing attempts that appear to come from a popular retailer. Phishing and smishing increases during busy shopping days. These messages may claim you have a gift waiting for you, or that there is some problem with your account. Track your purchase so that you aren’t deceived by fake package delivery text messages, and never click on any links you receive which seem suspicious.
Use caution with social media ads. Lookalike websites often pop up through social media promotions. Always check that the domain name is correct—for example, “PopularStore.com” vs. “PopvlarStore.com.” Legitimate businesses will have clear contact information and customer service details. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Beware of lookalike websites. Carefully check URLs, watch for poor grammar, and look up how long the website has been registered. If you can’t find clear contact information or reviews, proceed with caution.
Don’t rely on professional photos alone. Images can be stolen from legitimate sites. Blurry logos, pixelated pictures, or inconsistent branding are all red flags.
Make sure the website is secure. Look for the “HTTPS” in the URL (the extra “s” is for “secure”) and a small lock icon on the address bar. Never enter payment or personal information into a website with only “HTTP.” It is NOT secure.
Use extra caution with hard-to-find products. If something is sold out everywhere else, scammers will often offer fake listings at attractive prices. Be especially wary with popular electronics, toys, or collectibles.
Pay with a credit card. Whenever possible, use a credit card for online purchases. This provides stronger protections if you need to dispute a charge. Be very wary of any retailer that asks you to pay by digital wallet apps, prepaid money cards, or other non-traditional payment methods. These are red flags for scams.
For more information
Learn more about avoiding scam social media ads when shopping online. Read about scammers’ tracking code tricks. Read the 6 things you should look for when shopping online, and learn more about online shopping scams. For more tips on online shopping, visit BBB’s online shopping HQ. If you’ve spotted an online scam, report it to BBB ScamTracker. Subscribe to BBB Scam Alerts for weekly updates about new scams. Business owner? Get BBB Accredited.
BBB is a nonprofit, business-supported organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Most BBB services to consumers are free of charge. BBB provides objective advice, free BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.3 million companies, 11,000 charity reviews, dispute resolution services, alerts and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. Visit bbb.org for more information. BBB Serving Central East Texas was founded in 1985 and serves 19 counties.
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