Don’t Get Duped by Fake Ads Online, Tips for Louisiana Shoppers

Scammers are using technology to watch what you do online so they can scam you out of money, and the Better Business Bureau of Acadiana's Chris Babin says you must be wary when you are looking to purchase something online.

Do Local People Really Get Scammed by Fake Sites?

The answer is "yes". The 2024 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report: Holiday reveals that 48% of people were targeted online while shopping for the holidays. People get scammed online from our areas by scammers who could be anywhere.

It can be hard to reveal to someone else that you have been scammed out of money, but talking about the incident to others will help them be more prepared when something fishy pops up.

If you want to know what kind of scams are happening in your area, all you have to do is click on the Scam Tracker from the BBB. You can even report your own situation if you would like.

Online Activity Is Constantly Monitored

It is creepy to think about it, but watching what you buy and then tailoring ads to the things you like is what these scammers do to grab your money.

It's the time of year when people are looking for the perfect home decorations, and with inflation, consumers are looking for a great deal. According to Chris Babin with the Better Business Bureau of Acadiana, the problem is that scammers can track what you are looking at and then target you with fake ads. It seems crazy, but what you do online is being watched by scammers.

It is sad to think that we have to approach any potential purchase with the idea in mind that what we are looking at and the site we are going to order from could be a scam. Babin says they may straight up take your money, and you get nothing, or they send you something subpar and much smaller than what they "advertised" online. Babin says this isn't just a small problem; this happens constantly.

What Can You Do To Protect Yourself?

---You've heard the old phrase, "If it's too good to be true, then it probably is." It would help if you thought about that before buying anything this holiday season. When the savings are incredibly bigger than those of other sites, you should proceed with extreme caution.

---Doing your research about an ad or a company it links too can save you plenty of time and money. Just googling the item or the company can be a useful tool to see if others have a problem with the items.

---Take your time to look around and make good judgments about the products, services, and companies you are buying from. Many fake ads will try to get you to purchase quickly "before the special price disappears."

At the end of the day, Babin says checking and double-checking all of the information before buying some from an ad online will help you save heartache in the future.