As of November 2022, online shopping scam reports to the BBB Scam Tracker remain just under all-time highs reached in 2021.
DALLAS — With the holiday season finally here, that also means scammers are out there trying to take advantage of shoppers. And one of their main places to go? Social media.
Since the pandemic, shoppers remain increasingly susceptible to online retail fraud that entices shoppers with hard-to-find items, promises of low prices and easy delivery, according to reports by consumers to the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
As of November 2022, online shopping scam reports to the BBB Scam Tracker remain just under all-time highs reached in 2021 when the organization issued an in-depth study last December: Theft on a Massive Scale: Online Shopping Fraud and the Role of Social Media.
The way many people on social media will jump around quickly between different links and websites is often times when people get caught without thinking through what they’re clicking on, according to Better Business Bureau spokesperson Monica Horton.
“Just scrolling through those social media feeds,” Horton said. “And you see an advertisement pop up in that feed. A lot of times the hook is that it’s a very rare item that you are in search of. Hard to find. Hard to get. If…
