{"id":7793,"date":"2026-09-04T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stpaulfcu.org\/?post_type=education&#038;p=7793"},"modified":"2026-09-03T09:33:57","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T14:33:57","slug":"online-shopping-scams","status":"publish","type":"education","link":"https:\/\/stpaulfcu.org\/education\/online-shopping-scams\/","title":{"rendered":"Online Shopping Scams"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Online shopping is the new normal. In fact, a recent study revealed that while 70% of retail sales still occurred in-store, online sales were projected to increase from now through 2030. In other words, buying online isn\u2019t going away \u2013 and it will probably become even more convenient.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using the internet comes with its security risks, particularly when it concerns your money. Scammers and predatory retailers are out in full force, taking advantage of the shift to online purchases. They can lure even the savviest shopper. Let\u2019s look at these scenarios so the next time you shop, you can protect yourself and your wallet.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-online-shopping-scams\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Online shopping scams<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Actual scammers engage in illegal online activity and do not represent real businesses. Scammers employ a variety of creative tactics to appear legit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Fake websites and ads.<\/strong>\u00a0Here, fraudsters create fake websites or ads mimicking legitimate retailers, offering popular branded items at ridiculously low prices. Once payment is made, the promised items never show up, or a cheap counterfeit item arrives at the customer\u2019s door.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social media deception.<\/strong>\u00a0Scammers set up fake profiles or pages on social media platforms, promoting deals that seem too good to be true.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Phishing emails.<\/strong>\u00a0Victims get emails appearing to be from reputable retailers, prompting them to click on malicious links or provide personal info, leading to unauthorized transactions or identity theft.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-stay-alert-and-protect-yourself-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Stay alert and protect yourself&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Watch out for these warning signs, which can alert you to an online shopping scam:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Deals that are too good to be true<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Requests for unusual payment methods like wire transfers, gift cards or cryptocurrency<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lack of business contact information<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Poor website design and spelling errors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Take these preventative measures to protect yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Research sellers.<\/strong>\u00a0Before making a purchase, look at the seller\u2019s reviews and ratings.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Verify website security.<\/strong>\u00a0Ensure the website uses \u201chttps\u201d, indicated by a padlock icon in the address bar, which signifies a secure connection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pay with a credit card.<\/strong>\u00a0Credit cards generally offer better fraud protection than debit cards and allow you to easily dispute unauthorized charges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Avoid public Wi-Fi for transactions.<\/strong>\u00a0Only use a secure, private connection when making purchases online.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-predatory-retail-practices\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Predatory retail practices<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While not necessarily illegal, many retailers use predatory retail tactics to either make their product seem better than it actually is, or entice you to buy something you wouldn\u2019t have otherwise. Here\u2019s some of the more common predatory practices used online:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Free shipping thresholds and BOGO.\u00a0<\/strong>Free shipping thresholds encourage you to spend more to qualify for free shipping.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fake inflation.\u00a0<\/strong>Retailers sometimes set artificially high list prices to make the discount more appealing. A shirt listed for $89.99 discounted to $29.99 might never have actually sold for $89.99.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Urgency.\u00a0<\/strong>Phrases like \u201cOnly 2 left!\u201d and \u201cOffer ends in 2 hours!\u201d are designed to create panic and push you towards impulse buys.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-preventative-measures-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Preventative measures<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Try these hacks to spot predatory retailers before you buy:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Use price-tracking websites or browser extensions<\/strong>. Honey or PriceGrabber are great options that let you review an item\u2019s actual price history.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Leave the item in your cart for a few hours or even a full day.<\/strong>\u00a0It may not be as urgent as the retailer made it sound. Letting the item sit in your cart can also help you avoid <a href=\"https:\/\/stpaulfcu.org\/education\/why-we-buy-things-we-dont-really-need\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">buying things you don&#8217;t really need<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Calculate whether it\u2019s cheaper to pay for shipping<\/strong>\u00a0than to buy something you don\u2019t need.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-steps-to-take-if-scammed\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Steps to take if scammed<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether it\u2019s a scammer or a predatory business tactic, wasting or losing money on a purchase never feels good. Although they both can make us feel bad about ourselves, if you\u2019ve really been victimized by an online shopping scam, there\u2019s a few extra steps you need to take to regain your peace of mind. First,<strong>\u00a0contact your credit union, bank or credit card company<\/strong>\u00a0immediately to initiate a chargeback or freeze your account. Next, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at <a href=\"https:\/\/reportfraud.ftc.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reportfraud.ftc.gov<\/a> and your local consumer protection agency. Keep an eye on your checking and credit card statements for any unauthorized transactions. If you created an account on the fraudulent site, be sure to change your passwords for any other accounts that use the same or similar credentials. These steps are essential to minimize the damage to your accounts and prevent potential identity theft.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Online shopping is the new normal. In fact, a recent study revealed that while 70% of retail sales still occurred in-store, online sales were projected to increase from now through 2030. In other words, buying online isn\u2019t going away \u2013 and it will probably become even more convenient.\u00a0 Using the internet comes with its security [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":7794,"template":"","education-category":[194],"class_list":["post-7793","education","type-education","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","education-category-tips-resources"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.5 (Yoast SEO v28.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Online Shopping Scams - St. Paul Federal Credit Union<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Online shopping has security risks. Scammers can lure even the savviest shopper. 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