We all know how popular online shopping is both online shopping comes more access for scammers to try and take advantage of you from 2019 to 2022, there were nearly 51,000 complaints and reports to the BBB Scam Tracker in the U.S., and more than 22 million dollars reported in losses. Those are alarming numbers. And I recently found myself in a situation where I could have been scammed.
That’s why the vice president of the South Dakota region for the Better Business Bureau. Jessie Schmidt, if here today, she’s joining us to break down my situation and hope that it can help us all avoid falling victim to online shopping scams. Welcome, thank you for having me. Brittany think this is the second or 3rd time.
I’ve also on scam.
Well, again, you know what the shows that you’re very normal and that’s why they’re so prolific because they So. I think it’s great that you’re willing to unpack this for all of the viewers and just how easy it is to happen. >> So in general, because I know my situation is a little bit different because it was through an app where you can sell your own close by just in general. How do these online shopping scams work? Well, there’s a variety of ways, but they kind of lure you in through 3 different ways.
You know, you spot an item in its ad, a great price. The website can look professional because scammers, right? They do all the things, and you know, so you’re going look at the reviews and then they lure you in and you’ve made the purchase and then you get and as that show you that maybe. It’s a fake website or the E just give it a key feeling that something’s just not right. And it just goes on and on.
Then you’re in a shipping scam in. >> You know it. It just isn’t big cycle downward when these things happen to us.
And then usually they take your money, and you get nothing in return, right? Absolutely.
Or you end up losing even more money because you get a check, you deposit and the count. It looks like he’s cleared by a few weeks later. That hasn’t. Then you get a bad check charge. I mean.
And this my chest. Last example might explain it. Mark. I clothe. I’m mark and I had an individual message me about one of items.
It was like $3.50, dress house on it for 150 and never been more new takes and they message me that something they’re waiting for the funds in their account and they would rather send me like mail me a check and then I could send an address.
And so I said, OK, when I get the check, I will send you the dress once they know that it’s in my bank account. Well, then I think, you know, hey, this isn’t singer. Why can’t they just send it to through posh Mark, like everyone else many things hot.
When I get a check for $1250 and I was like, oh. You’re sending money out to people for Christmas like the pick. Some are in people under think happy holidays. Snow. I that.
Thank God before I put my bank account because it said that it acts as like alone. I googled the Czech name where it came from. Yeah, that so interesting. And then even if it wasn’t we we’ve seen these happen before. People get a random check in the mail, and they deposit from a stolen account.
And then now you’re out the money and the merge. Nice. here’s a $40 bad check. The added on to it. So, it’s like insult to injury when those things happen.
And when it comes to this, then obviously those red flags along the way. I didn’t know if maybe they just didn’t want to not have to go through the app because they were skeptical about it. But what are some red flags that we should be looking for? Right? So you might be lured in by something on social media to begin with and the reviews Kai all had the same information.
Maybe just a few different words. And the Web says not very old, and you can easy.
We figure out why. When was this website created and again, you know, we’ve talked a lot of times about misspellings, that sort of things. And in your case, anybody anytime somebody wants to get off that platform.
We’ve talked this about this is a relay to romance scams, right? They don’t want to work on the platform that they’re with in. And that’s exactly what the scammer did. Want to get you off the pass. Mark Platform that probably has some safeguards built into it on to something different, right?
And then they were communicating and sending you a check individually. So, in my case is typically this ever happens. Anyone the red flags I was looking for was first, the fact that they want to off the app that there could be a million reasons for that. There could be. But if you’re on Postmark, you know what the rules are right?
So then obviously and in some address. But the check I got was from way, way more than I was asking.
So that obviously another red flag and not from the person that you had been right. You know, conversing with. And then the language, a lot of tons.
It just seemed like the language was like man money. I need this. Please like right now like can you let me know, can you? And it was just very oddly written like and we talk about that a lot, right? Because so many times these are from scammers that are eastern European that they are talking of the Nacua or that we do.
I wouldn’t call you ma’am. No matter who I’m buying or selling something with right So again, a really a really pretty big red flag that we encourage consumers to just and their eyes and ears open to those sorts of things. And then everyone talks on the phone, always texting, always e-mail. No conversations. For your age group.
Texting is a very common form communication. Not so much talking. I will say, though, after I responded back to the text. you know, just curious, like, what is your reasoning for not paying to the posh mark happened? Just a little confused on that and I didn’t get a response turning.
There’s from the coal miners have had rest. What if they’re coming to my house things I was going to come home after a vacation because I told them that some patients unable to send it the dress for like a week. And then I’m like, oh, my goodness. This was not part of me to do at all. But, you know, you get everyone the benefit of the doubt.
Yes, right? You think you’re dealing with people that are like you but their criminal and they’re in a criminal syndicate self. And do they sometimes make it personal because they were saying they couldn’t send the check right away because their daughter is in the hospital. He had fees to pay ours. That’s so typical, right?
Or they’re giving you a great deal on this because it wasn’t. Then it was there. Their brother who’s in the military and they just want to get rid of I mean. I heard it all again.
The heartstrings, right?
And now that you say that the good deal part that reminds me actually selling it for one 30, but they were going to give me one 50 for holding and not song it through the app and keeping and taking on talking about. But yeah, it didn’t know. They’re often more to hold it and doing this because it was helping them out. I hope a new dress. Well, I did its in.
It’s passion. Thank you so much, Jesse, for coming in today and giving.
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