Happy Prime Day! How to Watch for Scams These Next Two Days
Amazon Prime Day is here (June 21 and 22) promising to offer some of the best deals on pretty much everything you want or need, especially electronics. Amazon isn't the only retailer offering deals, though. Other competitors like Target, Walmart, and Kohl's have also gotten in on the action with their own sales.
No matter where you choose to do your shopping just remember you aren't the only one who's loving Prime Day -- scammers are too.
The Better Business Bureau put out a warning ahead of Prime Day for scams to watch out for and how to avoid them.
...more deals mean more chances for scammers to capitalize on the buzz and trick shoppers. Be wary of phishing scams, misleading advertisements, and lookalike websites.
So what's the difference between these type of scams? Phishing is at its highest during popular sale days and come in the form of unsolicited e-mails, texts, calls. If you're purchasing from multiple places it can be hard to keep up with what's a legit message and not.
These messages may claim you have a free gift waiting for you or that there is a problem with a delivery – all you need to do is click on a link or give up your personal information.
False Advertisements and websites pose as a legitimate company but pay attention to the actual web address because usually there's something off i.e. misspelling. Do your research before clicking because if something seems too good to be true, it likely is.
The BBB has some tips to keep in mind while you're shopping these next two days, and in general, because scammers are always coming up with ways to get your personal information or scam you out of money.
- Professional photos doesn't make it real. Scammers will usually steal the photos from real websites.
- Make sure the website is secure. Check for the https:// at the beginning of the URL. "s" stands for secure
- Pay with a credit card. That way if anything shows up on your statement that shouldn't you can always get it taken care of with your credit card company.
- Think twice before purchasing something very sought after. If something that's in high demand is pretty much sold out at most places, don't fall for a tempting deal. Scammers will take popular items and mark them at a much lower price.
Bottom line, if something seems fishy, always do your research before clicking the "purchase" button.
For other useful articles and tips from the BBB, go here. If you come across a scam yourself, report it to the BBB here.