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CROMWELL, Conn. — As Prime Day approaches, Amazon and several big box stores will be rolling out discounts. Although, shopping in these online stores is relatively safe, scammers will try to confuse us by infiltrating our inboxes, text messages, and social media with look-alike deals. There are so many deals to be had it can be hard to decipher what's real from what isn't. Scammers know this. Amazon was the most impersonated business in 2022, according to Better Business Bureau's Scam Tracker Risk Report.
Online shopping scams are the most common type of online scam. There have been more than 200 reports of online purchase scams from Connecticut consumers to Better Business Bureau's Scam Tracker since last July. Three out of four of those targeted said they lost money, totaling more than $100,000.
Shop Smart:
* Text message scams are up 31%: Know what you've opted into so you can spot scam texts quickly.
* Shop in your personal account: Don't click links in emails, texts, or online ads.
* Understand return policies: If you can't find one on a website, it could be a scam.
* Do not take emails at face value: Only refer to the business's contact information that's listed in the initial confirmation email you received when you made your purchase.
* Watch out for look-alike websites & "typosquatting": If you type in a URL, double check you've spelled it correctly. Scammers create lookalike websites based on common typos made when typing a web address in the URL. If clicking on a link, make sure the URL contains the correct spelling of the business's name, starts with HTTPS and contains a lock symbol.
* Research: Go to bbb.org to see read reviews and complaints. Do an internet search of the company with the word 'scam.'
* Pay with a credit card: You have a better chance of reversing the transaction with a credit card than any other form of payment.
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