BBB: Tips To Shop Safe This Holiday Season

Perhaps not surprisingly, consumers see an increase in sales and great deals during the holiday season. However, the Better Business Bureau urges consumers to beware of scammers who want to take advantage of a shopping spree this time of year.

Experts believe consumers may pay more attention to bargains this year as we enter a new season of economic uncertainty.

This season, retailers expect the online shopping trend to continue. Reports of online shopping scams in the BBB Scar Tracker remain just below an all-time high in 2021 when the BBB released a detailed study.

According to the BBB Online Shopping Fraud Report, online shopping fraud is one of the most serious frauds in the past three years.

In 2020, more than 80% of consumers who reported online shopping scams lost money, up from 24% in 2019 and a steady increase from the 71% reported since 2015.

The BBB recommends the following tips for safe shopping this holiday season:

• If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. The main driving factor for people who made a purchase and lost money was the price. Don't just buy on price;

• Find out before you buy. Use BBB.org and customer reviews to do your homework before paying;

• Beware of fake websites. Check the URL, check for grammatical errors, study the age of the domain and find contact information.

• Professional images do not imply actual listing. Respondents indicated that images on the website encouraged them to contact scammers, particularly when it came to pets/pet supplies, clothing/accessories, and vehicles;

• Ensure that the website is secure. In the URL, look for "HTTPS" (the extra "s" stands for "secure") and the little padlock icon in the address bar. Never enter payment information or personal information on a website using only "HTTP" - it's not secure;

• Be careful when purchasing required items. The risk of online shopping scams increases during the holiday season as more people shop online and scammers offer the most popular items of the season at great prices.

• Beware of quick purchases when browsing social networks. Scammers can access the tools they need to learn more about your buying behavior and offer exactly what you want at the lowest prices;

• Use secure and traceable transactions and payment methods. According to a study by the BBB, those who pay by credit card lose money less often. Be careful when paying with digital wallet apps, prepaid payment cards, or other non-traditional payment methods. Learn more about payment methods and how to use them safely.

Visit BBB.org for more trading tips. If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please file a complaint at BBB.org/complaints. If you still don't get what you paid for, report it to BBB Scar Tracker to help other consumers avoid scams.

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Roseanne Freitas is the Hawaii Market Manager, Better Business Northwest + Pacific office, 900 Fort Street Mall, St. 1310, Honolulu, HI 96813, 808-260-0643, bbb.org.