BBB offers safety tips for online holiday shoppers

When the holiday season rolls around, many shoppers turn to online seller platforms to find unique, handmade gifts for their friends and family.

Scammers have taken note, and according to recent BBB Scam Tracker reports, they're targeting shoppers with a not-so-unique scam. These recent reports say that the scam is taking place on well-known and reputable websites, such as Etsy (a BBB Accredited Business). Scammers might use this same scam tactic on other platforms as well.

You're browsing online when you find a special gift or holiday decoration that you'd like to purchase. The photos seem professional, and everything looks normal… except for one thing. In the item description, you find a message from the seller advising you not to make the purchase through the online sales platform where you have discovered it. Instead, the seller encourages you to purchase the item directly from their independent website, promising you'll get a hefty discount if you do.

If you follow the link to a website outside the original sales platform and make a purchase, you'll likely be disappointed when your card is charged, but the product never arrives. Unfortunately, that's because the product probably never existed in the first place. Worse yet, if you have fallen for this type of scam, your payment information will now be in the hands of unscrupulous characters.

One consumer reported this experience: "When I checked out the listing, there was a message that looks like this: 'DO NOT purchase from this store, visit our website to get 50% off.' I fell for it and purchased a pair of shoes. I received a confirmation email for my purchase with a tracking number. When nothing arrived, I sent multiple messages inquiring about my order and when I could expect shipment. I received no response. I went back to the website to input my tracking order, and the website was no longer available."