Waylon Cunningham

If you’re looking forward to deals and deep discounts on Amazon Prime Day (July 16-17), you’re not alone. Many retailers, including Walmart, Target, and Kohl’s will also be offering discounted pricing on those days. Unfortunately, more deals also mean more chances for scammers to take advantage of eager shoppers. BBB reminds consumers to be wary of phishing scams, misleading advertisements, and lookalike websites.

“Some of the major online retailers will be conducting deep discount sales,” said Mechele Agbayani Mills, President and CEO of BBB serving Central East Texas. “This means a big payday for scam artists, so please make sure your personal information is protected, and be on the lookout for clickbait.”

BBB tips for online shopping:

Research the seller or retailer. Before you buy, check customer reviews of the product(s) you’re interested in purchasing, and do some research on the retailer. Be sure you can find contact information for the seller, and make note of it. Look up the retailer on BBB.org to see if they are BBB Accredited and check out their profile to read customer reviews.

Watch for email and text phishing attempts that appear to come from a popular retailer. Phishing and smishing increases during busy shopping days. These messages may claim you have a gift waiting for you, or that there is some problem with your account. Track your purchase so that you aren’t deceived by fake package delivery text messages, and never click on any links you receive which seem suspicious.

Use caution with social media ads. You may come across lookalike websites that, at first glance, appear to belong to a trusted retailer. But you may notice that the domain name is slightly different (i.e., Instead of Popularstore.com, the URL might be PopvlarStore.com or PopularStoreOnline.com). Make sure websites use the correct business name spelling and have legitimate contact information and customer service numbers. Also, trust your gut when evaluating deals. If a company claims to sell the hottest item of the year at a super low price, it’s probably untrue.

Beware of lookalike websites: Check the URL, watch for bad grammar, research the age of the domain, search for contact information, and read online reviews.

Professional photos do not mean it’s a real offer. Photos can be stolen from other websites, so don’t believe what you see. If logos or other images on the website appear blurry, take that as a red flag for a scam.

Make sure the website is secure. Look for the “HTTPS” in the URL (the extra “s” is for “secure”) and a small lock icon on the address bar. Never enter payment or personal information into a website with only “HTTP.” It is NOT secure.

Be careful when purchasing sought-after products. If something is sold out everywhere, don’t be tempted by a seemingly great deal. Scammers often trick shoppers by offering the most popular products at low prices. Here’s one example involving game consoles.

Pay with a credit card. It’s always best to make online purchases with your credit card. If any shady charges pop up later, you can contest them through your credit card company. Be very wary of any retailer that asks you to pay by digital wallet apps, prepaid money cards, or other non-traditional payment methods. These are red flags for scams.