COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Social media sites are filled with ads, luring us with great deals on clothing, electronics, and outdoor items.
But too often, those ads turn out to be fake, and the great deals turn out to be scams to take your money.
Mark and Kathy Fisher were looking for a new patio set for their summer get-togethers.
However, prices were high in stores, so they scrolled Facebook Marketplace for better deals.
They spotted a great deal from Home Depot.
“It says they had a clearance on unclaimed furniture, returned furniture, in the warehouse, that they must move,” Mark Fisher said.
“I believe it was normally $175,” Kathy said. “And it was for sale for $39.”
The ad had many photos, dimensions, and details, so the Fishers figured it was “extremely legitimate because it had Home Depot’s logo all over it.”
So they placed the order but got a PayPal response in a foreign language.
No patio set ever showed up. And when they emailed to inquire about their order, they received no response.
Scammers use well-known logos, photos of real merchandise
It turns out it wasn’t Home Depot that had posted the ad.
Someone had copied the store’s logo and pictures of the patio set and posted it all on Facebook Marketplace, looking to lure a victim.
And suspicious ads from other stores are also on the site, offering too-good-to-be-true deals.
Home Depot said it is aware of these fake ads and asks…
