SEATTLE — As the season for major shopping deals begins, consumers are being lured by websites and apps that mimic big brands and companies.
These fake operations often sell counterfeit goods or attempt to put fraudulent charges on the customer’s account.
Ways to Avoid Fake Sites/Apps:
1. Look for secure websites, with a URL starting with ‘https’.
2. Copy the URL and paste it into a new browser to see if it still looks the same. A suspicious operation may show up as a broken link or bring you to a different site.
3. Check if the site/app has a privacy policy.
4. Check if the site/app has a refund policy.
5.Look at the contact information for the site/app. Make sure there is a way to contact the seller. The contact phone number usually comes from the same area as the physical address listed.
David Quinlan of the Better Business Bureau of the Northwest, said consumers should watch for “a number of fake apps that look like from the real retailer that are popping up on people’s smart phones and devices. They’re actually making purchases, or they’re downloading malware potentially.”
Dollar Tree, Foot Locker, and Nordstrom have all recently had copy-cat apps.
Another common occurrence is the sale of unofficial athletic gear from unlicensed sources.
Rachel Sherin, in Bothell, shopped for Seahawks jerseys Tuesday night, and found a site called www.shopnfl.us.
The site states it is the “official online store of the NFL.” It offers free shipping when one orders three or more items. The jerseys were also sold at a steep discount.
After she bought four items, she found she was still charged for shipping. She emailed the store contact.
Sherin said, “Whoever wrote back said that was only with a certain larger quantity of purchased items. I had four items in my cart, they said ‘oh, it’s 10 items. But let me send you a hat.’”
That was not what the website banner promised. The email confirmation also had a “pay now” button, right underneath the total on Sherin’s invoice.
“I’m thinking, I thought I already did. So they’re looking, I’m assuming, for double payment,” she said.
Within minutes, she got a call from her bank, stating her funds were headed to China. The bank statement also showed the seller listed, not as shopnfl.us, but as a strange string of letters.
When Sherin put those letters in Google, it immediately went to a site called www.made-in-china.com, which is unrelated to football.
The billed amount was also $10 more than what her invoice read.
“I got suckered. And you know – I considered myself savvy,” Sherin said.
Her bank canceled her debit card and issued her a new one.
The real site selling licensed merchandise is www.nflshop.com. Customer service representatives said real products are sold through that site, Fanatics, and Fan's Edge.
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