Counterfeit goods scam
How it works: You’re doing some online shopping, as one does. You see what looks like a great deal on Amazon or eBay and place an order. Everything seems fine … until you get the item. You look closely at the box, and it looks like someone printed it in their basement. Or, the box is fine but the product is shoddy and clearly not legit. You may not receive the item at all.
Learn about these eBay scams, too
What’s really going on: The seller’s a scammer, and they’re going to send you a counterfeit product (or nothing at all)—and they’ll still get your money. These scammers often post delivery dates that are three or four weeks from the date of purchase, so they typically receive payment long before you discover that it was a scam.
The big picture: The sale of counterfeit items is a major problem, and it hurts not just buyers but other sellers as well. “There’s been rampant theft of intellectual property—Marvel, Disney, Star Wars, NFL teams, sports jerseys,” Eaton says. “Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, Craigslist and other sites are rife with rip-offs.”
Some people don’t care about counterfeit or knockoff goods—a fake Louis Vuitton looks close enough to the real deal for many—but that’s for them to decide, with full knowledge of what they’re buying.
Avoidance maneuver: Watch out for new sellers, and take a careful look at sellers’ reviews before you buy. Read the one- and two-star reviews as well as the glowing ones. Take a close look at photos reviewers have attached to the post, and read the wording on the reviews. If you find a string of clichés, or a bunch of reviews written in the same tone, they’re probably fake testimonials.
Positive reviews are generally a good thing, but if a new seller has 20 five-star reviews for a brand-new product that’s a fraction of the regular retail price, it’s a red flag. As a general rule, stick with sellers who have products with hundreds of reviews and an average rating of four stars or higher.
Eaton says that a good way to circumvent counterfeit sites is to use the company’s official app as much as you can. “If you shop a lot at Walmart, don’t keep logging in through the website,” she advises. “Go through the app, because it helps eliminate certain fraud risks.”
Hitman scam
How it works: You get an email or text from someone saying he’s been hired to kill you or kidnap a family member. He tells you to send a large amount of money via Cash App or another irreversible method in exchange for your safety. Usually, the email will also warn you against contacting the authorities, saying that will only make things worse.
What’s really going on: There is no assassin. Somebody found your email address (along with hundreds of others) and just wants your money. “The scam is simply a means to an end,” Eaton says. “The scammer’s only objective is to get you to give him what he wants as quickly as possible. It’s not personal—but it is a crime—and it can ruin your life and devastate your finances.”
The big picture: How could anyone possibly fall for this? Keep in mind that the first response of anyone who’s just been threatened with murder online is most likely to panic. Even scarier, many of these scams include the victim’s personal information—such as where they (or loved ones) work or go to school, or even what street they live on—which can be easy to access through social media.
Avoidance maneuver: If you get one of these messages, block the number. Responding to the scammer clues them in that they have reached a live account, and they’ll probably respond with more aggressive threats. Next, contact local law enforcement. It’s not likely that the scammer is in your town—they’re probably halfway across the world—but the authorities need to know in case there’s a real threat. Your cyber awareness will protect you, and reporting the crime will help protect others.
Also, be careful of what you post about your family online. You might think it’s harmless to show casual photos of your home and vehicle, but these details can be used to coerce you or your loved ones into believing the scammers know who you are, where you are and that they intend to harm you if you don’t pay up.
Travel scam
How it works: You see a social media post or get an email advertising an amazing deal on airline tickets, or an all-inclusive vacation to an exciting destination like Paris or Fiji. And it is truly amazing: We’re talking a $10,000 vacation for just $999. How could you say no?
What’s really going on: Like the free trial scam, travel scams have extra costs hidden in the fine print. The initial fee won’t cover much, and you’ll have to pay thousands in resort fees. Or that confirmation code may never land in your inbox. Either way, the scammer will now also have your credit card info—or ask you to pay through a third-party app—opening you up to additional theft.
The big picture: The peak time for these kinds of online scams is the summer, when people have vacation on the brain, but they’re also common right before Christmas and New Year’s Day. Scammers intentionally choose exotic, remote places that would be difficult to get to without their “amazing offer.” Finally, they throw in an expiration date, saying you only have a few days, or even hours, to take advantage of this deal, hoping that a sense of urgency will rope you in.
Avoidance maneuver: Scour the details of the offer before clicking any sort of confirmation button, and Google the site and the offer to see if anyone warns of fraud. The email or website will hold plenty of clues that it’s not legit. “Are the images low-resolution? Does the verbiage include spelling errors and grammatical mistakes?” Eaton asks. “These are the telltale signs of a fake online store, site or organization. Delete the email, and don’t submit your personal information.”
Keep in mind that fake websites can look like legitimate sites, but reputable e-commerce sites and major airlines, banks and hotel chains use website addresses that begin with https. “The ‘s’ indicates a higher level of security,” Eaton says. “Most scam sites, however, are http, because http sites are cheaper than https sites.”
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