Online Holiday Sale Scams

Don't become a victim. Be aware of online holiday sales scams. Fake advertisers are common on social media platforms. The ad may look real, but victims who click the Buy Now tab are being led to fake websites where they purchase counterfeit products or products that don’t even exist. To avoid becoming a victim, when you see an ad that looks appealing – don’t click it. Instead, look up the business on a search engine and then go to the company’s website to ensure the sale and product are legitimate.  

Just a few months ago fake Wayfair sales were prevalent on social media promoting too good to be true specials. One victim in Ohio thought she was purchasing a recliner for $99. Two weeks passed and when the chair didn’t arrive, she contacted Wayfair to discover the chair and sale never existed. She called her bank and found out the scammers had been charging on her card to the tune of thousands of dollars since the day she clicked the ad. It’s not just Wayfair; companies get spoofed all the time. 

Amazon announced the FBI was investigating account takeover fraud during Black Friday weekend. Takeover fraud is when scammers hijack customer accounts by pretending to be customer support or technical support. They con victims into sharing their login in and password, then change the password and take over the account. Once they gain access, they have names, addresses, phone numbers, and credit card information. Never trust a text message or email to solve a problem with an online order. All communication regarding your purchase should be done through the company website or app. 

Finally, don’t trust shipping notifications that come via text or email. Typically, there’s a link you will be encouraged to click to check on a missed or delayed delivery. There may be a phone number. If you think a family member sent you something for the holidays, reach out and ask them. In this day and age, and no matter the time of year, it’s best to be suspicious of everything you see online. Happy holidays from Alloy Wealth!