The Better Business Bureau reported this week that they saw a roughly 10% increase in online purchase scams over this time last year.
The pandemic plays a major part in the scam increases, according to Dottie Callina with the Better Business Bureau of Atlanta. The increase from about 71% in 2015 to just over 80% in 2020 is linked mostly to fake websites, often selling essential items.
"People were so desperate to get things they needed, without checking, without doing anything, they were paying exorbitant amounts of money to get these items they needed," said Callina. She said scammers took legitimate photos from other websites of item, like face masks, and posting them online for sale. "They had them pay in unusual ways. You couldn't pay with a credit card, you had to pay with GreenDot, or CashApp, or Zelle, anything like that so it couldn't be traced back, and the consumer didn't have a recourse once the items were not received."
Some of those essential items are companions. Callina said fake puppy websites are one of their biggest issues in our area.
"People are wanting comfort, they want something to ease their anxiety, so they're searching to buy pets," said Callina. "We always recommend you go and hold the pet, but especially in the beginning of the pandemic when everything was shut down, you really couldn't do that."
Callina said to look for the common red flags, like strange payment methods, asking for more money, or prices that are too good to be true. And, don't give in to the power of panic.
"If things should go in short supply again, [scammers] are going to put it out there, put fear in you and basically constantly push you to make a purchase that if you weren't in the situation you're currently in, you wouldn't make it."
Callina thinks that more people know about the BBB, which helps them collect data, but she is sure that scams are on the rise because of the pandemic, as well as the fact it is an election year, a common time for scams.
More details about how to stay safe, or to report a scam, can be found at BBB.org.
