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Opinion | Be careful if you are shopping for presents online | Richard Ransom

ABC24 Anchor Richard Ransom discusses what the BBB suggests to look out for while online shopping.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — In tonight’s Ransom Note: have a Merry Christmas, not a fake one. 

The BBB’s scam tracker already reporting 400 different types of gifts being sold by scammers, including counterfeit products. 

They know the kinds of gift you’re searching for online, and the BBB says Nike is the most impostered brand. Then followed by NFL clothing, Apple gadgets, and Louis Vuitton handbags. 

Also on the list? Tiffany Jewelry, LEGO toys, luggage, and puppies and pet supplies are topping the list. 

So, here’s what the BBB suggests: 

  • Look out for low priced and mid-priced items that seem much lower than you expected, especially on designer brands. 
  • Look at the whole website. If there are typos or grammatical mistakes, that’s a red flag 
  • And so is a lack of contact information. If you have trouble finding a phone number, email address, or online chat function, that's a warning sign as well.

It’s a shame that we have to be so careful, but online shopping is so simple these days. It can be very easy to get taken advantage of. 

Buyers beware. 

I’d love to hear what you think of the poll results. Join the conversation by email (rransom@abc24.com), Facebook, or Twitter.

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