Better Business Bureau (BBB)
MILWAUKEE - The Wisconsin Better Business Bureau (BBB) says online shopping scams were the most frequently reported scam to BBB Scam Tracker in 2025 by Wisconsinites.
Online shopping scams
According to the BBB, online shopping scams occur as a result of fake websites and social media ads offering discounted and popular items that either never arrive or are counterfeit. BBB Wisconsin combined online shopping with counterfeit items because many of the online purchase reports included counterfeit products.
"Online shopping remains incredibly popular as a result of its convenience, accessibility (shop anytime, anywhere) and all the phony pop-up ads that are out there", said Lisa Schiller BBB Wisconsin Senior Director of Investigations and Media Relations. "BBB urges anyone who encounters a scam – whether they lost money or not – to report it to BBB’s Scam Tracker. Sharing this information helps to prevent scams from happening to others."
Tips to avoid online shopping scams
- Shop local whenever possible.
- Research before you purchase (improve your research skills including better prompting when using AI searches. Remember that professional imagery or videos can be fake).
- Look for spelling errors, poor grammar, missing punctuation, and lack of contact information.
- Be suspicious of deeply discounted products or services.
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Top 10 Scams
- Online/Counterfeit Purchase
- Phishing
- Employment
- Debt Collection
- Advance Fee Loan
- Government Agency Impostor
- Credit Cards
- Tax Collection
- Healthcare/Medicaid/Medicare
- Sweepstakes/Lottery/Prizes
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Top 10 Most Impersonated Organizations
- DMV/Motor Vehicle Services
- PayPal
- Amazon
- Apple
- Warner Bros. Discovery
- Target
- Helsinn Healthcare
- Joann Fabrics
- Wayfair
- Publisher’s Clearing House
What you can do:
For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin BBB at www.bbb.org/wisconsin, 414-847-6000 or 1-800-273-1002.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau (BBB).