The current inflation rates are concerning for consumers preparing to begin their back-to-school shopping as students and parents gear up for the upcoming school year. According to the National Retail Federation, 84% of consumers expect higher prices this year, particularly for clothing and school supplies. To help combat increased costs, many consumers are spending more time comparatively shopping online for the best deals on necessary items. Better Business Bureau reminds back-to-school shoppers interacting with digital marketplaces to be wary of online purchasing scams and to carefully evaluate the legitimacy of an online seller before paying for advertised products.
From June thru August 2021, Texas consumers lost nearly $100,000 to online purchasing scams, according to BBB Scam Tracker data. Many of those who lost money to online stores found the business through an advertisement on social media, a common tactic that scammers use nationwide. In July 2021, a Texas resident reported $1,500 lost to an online seller who “did not send any of the 18 items I ordered. They sent a pair of shoes that were not even in my order and were in the wrong size. Nobody replies after you send money to them.”
Better Business Bureau typically receives over a thousand monthly reports of online purchasing scams from consumers across the United States. Since 2020, BBB’s annual Scam Tracker Risk Report has identified online purchasing scams as the No. 1 riskiest scam impacting Read more…
