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  • Geebo 8:00 am on May 13, 2022 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , product shortage, , ,   

    BBB warns of baby formula scams 

    BBB warns of baby formula scams

    By Greg Collier

    Whenever there is a shortage of something, inevitably, some people will use that shortage to their own financial advantage. This can be seen in such practices as price gouging and scalping. However, in those practices, you can still get a product. Then there’s the scam where you get nothing at all.

    As you may know, there has been a shortage of baby formula happening across the country. Due to supply chain issues and a massive recall of baby formula due to salmonella, store shelves have been barren of baby formula. Even government programs which are designed to assist low-income families have been struggling to supply formula to needy families. Of course, scammers never see a crisis they can’t pass up.

    The Better Business Bureau has issued a nationwide warning about baby formula scams. According to the BBB, scammers are setting up fake websites and social media profiles. The scammers claim that not only do they have baby formula in stock, but they’re offering it at bargain prices. However, payments are only accepted through the usual suspects of Cash App, Venmo, and probably Zelle. Once the payment is made, the scammers block their victims on these apps, leaving the victims out of money and a hungry child to feed. Some of these websites even have pictures of what the scammers claim is their supply, but more often than not, these photos are stolen off the internet.

    If you come across a website selling baby formula, research before you buy. First, do what’s called a WHOIS search on the website’s domain name. This will more than likely let you know when the site was created. You can also do a web search of the site’s name along with the terms ‘review’ or ‘scam’. That should provide you with information to let you know whether the site is legitimate or not. Unfortunately, during the current crisis, these vendors will almost assuredly be scammers.

     
  • Geebo 9:00 am on November 16, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , product shortage, , shipping crisis,   

    Shipping crisis could lead to holiday scams 

    Shipping crisis could lead to holiday scams

    By Greg Collier

    Many factors have led to the current global shipping crisis. However, whether it’s more people ordering items online or the lack of truck drivers to deliver the goods, it can all be tracked back to the pandemic. An untold number of cargo ships are forced to wait days and sometimes weeks at sea before they can unload their cargo. This has resulted in product shortages for items that are manufactured overseas, especially items from Asia, where the bulk of electronics and toys are produced. As with any global crisis, scammers are more than happy to use the product shortages to their advantage.

    The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about seeking out highly demanded products this holiday season. Due to the shortages, many of the in-demand items consumers are hoping to get for the holidays will probably be even harder to find than in years past. It’s predicted that scammers will increase their activity this holiday season by setting up fake vendor websites that are selling the most sought out items. These websites are designed for one thing, and that’s to steal your information, both personal and financial. People who fall victim to these websites could end up being charged for a hard to find item only to never receive the product.

    The BBB has some tips for avoiding these websites, such as avoiding ads for hard to find items on social media. When making purchases online, try to use a credit card as much as possible, since credit cards offer more fraud protection than debit cards and payment apps. And as always, beware of below-market prices because if the deal seems too good to be true it probably is. This holiday season, if you’re set on doing all your shopping online, your best bet is to stick with known retailers rather than taking a risk with a scammer.

     
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