From Staff Reports
GRAND RAPIDS — Online purchases was the top scam for 2022 according to the Better Business Bureau in Western Michigan.
It’s the second year in a row online purchases rated as the top scam based on the number of BBB Scam Tracker entries and its impact on customers.
Employment scams rated second and phishing was third, according to the release from the BBB.
Many of the online scams started on social media, according to the release.
About 25% of consumers using the organization’s Scam Tracker reported being targeted by a scam while using social media, according to a recent BBB survey.
“Scammers know we are shopping online and target consumers casually scrolling through social media feeds,” Lisa Frohnapfel, President & CEO of the Better Business Bureau in Western Michigan, said in the release. “Don’t let the too-good-to-be-true prices and flashy advertisements lure you into clicking on fraudulent sites and handing over your hard-earned money.”
Scammers often target consumers on social media with product photos coming from a legitimate business. When the consumer clicks on the ad, it often leads them to a fraudulent, copycat site.
The type of online purchase scam costing Michigan residents the most money continues to be pet scams.
The BBB updated a 2017 study on the impact of…
