Back-to-school online shopping, Wisconsin officials issue warning
Back-to-school online shopping, Wisconsin officials issue warning
More and more people are skipping the stores and doing their back-to-school shopping online. If that includes you, just be aware of the risks before buying.
MILWAUKEE - More and more people are skipping the stores and doing their back-to-school shopping online. If that includes you, just be aware of the risks before buying.
Scammers after person info, money
What we know:
Believe it or not, back-to-school season is here. Many people prefer to hunt for deals online instead of in stores, but state officials have a warning for online shoppers.
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"Consumers need to be mindful of scammers posting social media ads that are fake," said Michelle Reinen of the Wisconsin Division of Trade and Consumer Protection.
Those fake ads may direct consumers to copycat websites that look like real, well-known platforms. The scammers are after personal information or money.
"You could lose money because you could be buying a product that you think is legitimate, and it could either be a counterfeit product, inferior quality, or nothing will show up," Reinen said.
Be aware of dishonest ads
What you can do:
Consumers should be aware of dishonest ads that claim to have a limited supply or that a sale is ending. Also, watch out for fake reviews that come from unverified profiles. Trying to read the worst online reviews first can help.
"Really paying attention to those to see if there’s a common thread of one problem," Reinen said.
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People should not click links in ads on social media. It is best to compare deals across websites to check if a price is unrealistically low. Paying with a credit card is also recommended.
"You get that automatic extra protection for fraud built into using your credit card," Reinen said.
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Last of all, shoppers should check if the website's URL is different than the retailer's usual URL. That's good to remember anytime someone is shopping online, not just during the back-to-school season.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Jenna Sachs and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: Information in this story was gathered from Michelle Reinen, the Wisconsin Division of Trade and Consumer Protection, and FOX6 News.