According to a report by the FBI, scams have cost Americans $510 million.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Holiday season is in full effect, and while some are in the spirit of giving, others are in the spirit of scamming.
According to a report by the FBI, scams have cost Americans $510 million. This year, the Better Business Bureau has noticed an increase in a new scam focusing on out of stock claims, and with holiday shopping still underway, the BBB is asking for people to be careful.
“Scammers see that as an opportunity, so that’s why we see online shopping scams spike,” said Daniel Irwin, Director of Public Relations for the BBB of the Mid-South, “You see something you like, you click on social media, it takes you to a website you’ve never been before, you make a purchase for 15 or 20 dollars, then you get a phone call right after saying it’s out of stock, due to low inventory, that they’re going to refund your money. Well, they’re hoping that you forget about it, you’re not going to get your money back.”
The FBI said the main forms of fraud to be on the lookout for are auction fraud and gift card fraud, the latter of which is common this time of year in the Mid-South, according to Irwin. However, there are ways to prevent scams from taking place, a lot being traced to the website.
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