On June 1, the Echo Press printed a story about the nationwide shortage of baby formula and how local health leaders are warning parents not to make their own formula because there’s a risk that it could contain unsafe ratios of minerals and proteins.
Now there is something else parents need to know about during the shortage – scammers.
The Better Business Bureau reported last week that anytime there is an item in high demand, fraudsters find a way to take advantage of those in need. The bureau is warning families to be cautious when buying formula online.
Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it is taking proactive measures to increase supply to help ease the shortage, many families are still in need, the bureau said.
Parents should be particularly careful about buying formula online. Here’s how the scam works, according to the bureau: An ad, post, or social media group posts they have baby formula available. The buyer contacts the seller via chat or direct message, showing photos of the cans available. The buyer makes a payment through a peer-to-peer platform such as PayPal (a BBB Accredited Business) or Venmo (a BBB Accredited Business), but the formula never arrives.
There are measures parents can take to avoid the scam. Here are some danger signs to watch out for:
- Positive reviews on the website that have been copied from honest sites or created by scammers. Be aware, some review websites claim to be…
