phony websites

This Podcast is by BBB of the Tri-Counties

A BIG thank you to Ayers Automotive Repairs in Santa Barbara for supporting this podcast!

Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust! Bed Bath & Beyond declared
bankruptcy and closed its physical stores in recent months. It was then acquired by
furniture and home furnishings e-retailer Overstock.com, a BBB Accredited Business,
which rebranded its website and mobile app to Bed Bath & Beyond in the U.S. in early
August. Scammers are taking advantage of the big changes by targeting unsuspecting
consumers with fake "going out of business" sales. Here's what you need to know to
spot the scam.

How the scam works

You see an online ad on social media for massively marked-down Bed Bath & Beyond
products. It's a going-out-of-business sale, and the prices are too good. The website
you are directed to looks legitimate, with the Bed Bath & Beyond logo and product
information. However, a closer look at the domain name or email address reveals you
aren't on the official website.

One consumer shared the following experience: "I saw an ad for Bed Bath & Beyond on
Facebook. The sale seemed safe, and I knew that the company was closing some of
their stores. I ordered a couple items and paid with my debit card. I did not notice
anything fishy with the website. Months later, I had not received any products or
messages from them. I tried to look up my order and found it was not the right website,
so now I have no order number or information about the company."

Shoppers report making purchases and never receiving the products they ordered.
Emails to the impostor company typically go unanswered. However, in some cases, the
scammers reply, only to state the product was accidentally delivered to another state –
an issue they should take up with the United States Postal Service. In reality, the
website was fake, and the discounted products never existed.

Bed Bath & Beyond is working to uncover and remove all impostor websites. "With the
increased attention we've seen surrounding the launch of the new Bed Bath & Beyond
website, scammer sites are more prevalent. To protect consumers, we are diligently
working with federal authorities to help shut down these fraudulent sites," said Jonathan
Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Bed Bath & Beyond.

How to avoid impostor website scams

● Always double-check the URL. Scammers love to build fake websites that look
like the real thing. Often, the URL is only off by a letter or two. Take a moment to
ensure you are on the official website by looking closely at the URL. Bed Bath &
Beyond's official websites are www.bedbathandbeyond.com in the U.S. andwww.bedbathandbeyond.ca in Canada.
● Go directly to the official website instead of clicking on ad links. Con artists can
make ads claiming to be legitimate businesses, but the link takes you to a
completely different website. Look up deals featured in ads by typing the
business's URL directly in the browser bar instead of clicking through an ad. If
you can't find the special deal anywhere, the ad may have been a fake.
● Be wary of deals that sound too good to be true. This beloved scam tactic plays
on people's desire to get a great deal on something. If a price sounds too good to
be true, stay skeptical. Verify the source and the deal before you make a
purchase.
● Use your credit card for online purchases. Credit cards offer certain protections
your debit card doesn't. For example, credit cards will allow you to contest
charges if you accidentally purchase from a fraudulent website.

Until next time!

A podcast by BBB of the Tri-Counties

A BIG thank for to Ayers Automotive Repair in Santa Barbara

Welcome to this week’s edition of Your Moment of Trust!

Tricky websites claim to offer discounted prices on Stanley cups and tumblers in a scam reported to BBB Scam Tracker repeatedly in recent weeks.

Here’s how to spot the scam so you don’t lose money or personal information to con artists.

How the scam works:

You see an ad for Stanley travel cups on social media or after an online search. It appears to be from the official Stanley company or a popular sporting goods store. According to an ad, the store is running a flash sale with great prices on the cups – some are discounted to half the original price or more. Enticed by a good deal, you click on the link. When you do, you’re redirected to a website where you can purchase. It looks like a legitimate site, so you enter your payment information and are charged for the item. However, soon after ordering, you’ll notice some red flags. Some buyers reported never receiving a confirmation email and being unable to contact the company. Others received shipping information, but their product was never delivered. Several victims reported getting confirmation that their product had been delivered to Alaska, which is not where they reside. Here’s one consumer’s firsthand experience: “There was an advertisement for Stanley travel cups for Mother’s Day through Dick’s Sporting Goods. I clicked the ad and was taken to the ‘Stanley’ website, where I ordered and entered my credit card info. I received an order confirmation notice and tracking information from the seller. However, my travel cups were apparently ‘delivered’ in a completely different state, almost 800 miles from my location! The items were delivered the day after a ‘Missing Mail Search Request’ was initiated, but it wasn’t initiated or requested by me. I have tried to contact both the shipping company and the seller through their website but have not gotten any response.” If you purchase through a shady website, your personal information and the money you spend will be gone for good. The Stanley cup you ordered never even existed.

How to avoid online shopping scams:

● Only make purchases through sellers you know and trust. When making purchases online, only buy products from reputable businesses. If you find a great deal through a seller you’ve never heard of, do plenty of research to ensure they are legit before entrusting them with your personal information and hard-earned money.

● Watch out for imitation websites. Even if you think you are on a well-known vendor’s website, you might not be. Scammers are experts at making lookalike websites to fool consumers into entering their personal and payment information. Take a hard look at the URL to ensure you aren’t on a website that looks like a seller you know but is off by a word or even a single letter.

● Beness’ social media feed and website, and read reviews about the company on third-party websites to ensure they are a real business with real customers, quality products, and good customer service.

● Stay extra vigilant around holidays. BBB Scam Tracker received multiple reports each day about this Stanley cup scam just before Mother’s Day. If a holiday is approaching (especially one where it’s customary to send gifts), stay alert to the possibility of scams. Don’t wait until the last minute to purchase a gift, either. Bad actors play on people’s desire to get a good deal. Plus, they know that last-minute shoppers are more vulnerable to scams than someone with plenty of time to research the seller.   Until next time! cautious about ads on social media. Many reputable businesses run social media ads but so do scammers. Sort real businesses from scams by doing your research!