FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – Have you ever been scammed? You may think the answer is “no” but criminals are getting better at conning people. The Better Business Bureau of North Central Texas tracks complaints trending in DFW. Here’s a look at the most common scams reported in 2021.
#1 ONLINE PURCHASE SCAMS
- 1,021 reports – 30.5% of all reports
- $500,804 reported lost – 25% of all money lost
- 19.2% of all reports from those ages 35-44
READ MORE: Dallas Cowboys Offensive Tackle Ty Nsekhe Takes 5 North Texas Families On Shopping Spree
These days you don’t need to leave your house to shop. From groceries to gifts, cars and pets, you can get just about anything delivered right to your door. Amy Rasor with the BBB often hears from people who have been burned by social media ads. They click and buy but the item never ships, or what arrives is poor quality or counterfeit.
Rasor says the number of pet sale scams is also being fueled by social media. “There are all kinds of ads being promoted, boosted, a lot of push, said Rasor. “Our investigations have shown that there’s a potential for about 80% of those to be fraudulent.”
Scammers will use cute photos to manipulate buyers’ emotions and cloud their judgment. “Please, please, please meet the pet in person,” said Rasor. “Don’t purchase an animal sight unseen.”
Her advice: do your research, talk to previous customers or look at independent reviews, and use a payment method with protection. And any time you…
