Don’t Get Scammed During Holidays

Customized items like engraved jewelry, personalized ornaments, or quirky mugs make great gifts, but not all that glitter is gold. Scammers have found ways to exploit their popularity—stay alert and learn to spot the warning signs.

According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), there have been several reports about scams being displayed on social media ads, luring in those looking for deals during holidays and special occasions. When the unsuspected buyer purchases from the website, the product often arrives in terrible quality, personalization is botched, or worse, the item never arrives at all.

The ads published on these social media platforms are usually eye-catching, with tempting discounts that lead you to a website that is polished at a glance. However, it all tends to fall apart when you start actually looking at it. For example, inconsistent branding of the URL, websites containing misspellings, or trying to mimic a legitimate website (often referred to as a spoofed website). These websites are usually put together quickly and designed to lure and disappear. The return policies on the website (if provided) are either vague or have multiple loopholes that make refunds unlikely. Once the holiday season is up, and they’ve capitalized on as much as they can, they vanish with your money.

When and if these products arrive, they’re often disappointing. Many buyers have even reported that they’ve received an item that looks nothing like what was advertised. A lot of these buyers do not want to go through the hassle of returning something (which is what the scammers bank on) or may decide to return after the holidays, in which case, the website may no longer be in service.

Though some social media platforms usually have a strict policy about what ads can be displayed around their platform and who can register to be an advertiser, not all platforms share the same policy. Scammers are also opportunists and can find ways around requirements to display ads, and it’s not uncommon for them to have multiple accounts that they burn through.

Red Flags to Look Out For

The suspicious ads on social media may not even look suspicious at first glance. However, you may spot a few things if you look closely. I like to follow a simple rule that has worked for me—if it seems too good to be true, it usually is. Deals with outrageous discounts for products that look very high-quality or offers that try to pressure you too much into buying quickly, often creating a false sense of urgency.

Many of these operations operate with minimal transparency. They’ll provide little to no reliable contact information. Email addresses might be generic, phone numbers nonexistent, and addresses, if listed, often lead nowhere. Search for the business name on a trusted search engine and on websites like TrustPilot and ScamAdvisor to check the safety rating and see if there have been others that have reported the business as a scam. You can also test their customer support—send a simple question their way. Real businesses will hit you with a prompt and professional response, while dodgy sites might leave you hanging or send you a vague answer. Stick to companies with solid reputations, real reviews from past shoppers, and clear return policies.

Customer reviews are another critical area to investigate. Legitimate businesses tend to accumulate a mix of feedback over time. Scam operations, however, rely heavily on fabricated or overly generic testimonials to create an illusion of trustworthiness. Take note of the language used—if it feels robotic or suspiciously repetitive, it’s likely fraudulent. If the reviews mention the name of the store or business too frequently, that can also indicate that it’s a fake review.

Another quick tip is to take a peek at their social media. If the account looks a little bare or only has those too-perfect or repetitive cookie-cutter comments, that’s a red flag for sure. These are usually social media bots. Specifically, these are engagement bots that focus on likes, comments, and shares. The more engagement that a social media post has, the more likely it appears trusted and the more likely a platform’s algorithm will promote it to other people. Beware of this false sense of popularity—look for identical or very similar comments across multiple accounts, suspiciously fast posting frequencies, or comments that include the brand’s name a bit too much.

Don’t forget to double-check how they handle payments. Reliable stores offer secure options like credit cards or PayPal, which come with buyer protection. If a site insists on direct bank transfers, cryptocurrency, or sketchy payment apps without a refund policy, walk away. And if they’re pushing you to pay off-platform or offering “special discounts” for using untraceable payment methods, that’s a sign that the seller is scamming you.

What to Do if You’ve Been Scammed

If you or someone you know has been scammed on social media, either through an ad or directly on the platform, it can be challenging to get your money back. However, you can start by filing a chargeback with your bank or payment processor. Additionally, you can report these scam ads, accounts, or posts on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and others.

You can also file a complaint with the BBB, alert your payment processor, and report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if you are in the US. These actions help track scammers and potentially recover lost funds. Share your experience online to warn others. Posting reviews or sharing on social media can prevent someone else from falling into the same trap. It’s also wise to stay vigilant for follow-up scams. Fraudsters may target you again, offering fake refund services or using other types of manipulation.

Don’t let scammers steal your hard-earned money. Stay savvy by learning how to spot common scams, shop smart, and may your celebrations be scam-free!