AUSTIN, Texas (KAUZ) – The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has announced they are investigating scammers targeting “viral” online sales.

With more than $240 billion in U.S. online sales, the BBB warns shoppers to be aware of tactics used by scammers, such as fake advertisements to offer deep discounts and hard-to-find popular items, such as beauty products, and viral tumbler mugs.

The BBB said online shopping rose over 125% last year, with targets spanning from age and income.

Over 80% of reports to BBB indicated that they lost money, making online purchase scams one of the most common scams the public encounters.

BBB shared the following red flags to look out for when shopping:

• Items offered at a deep discount
• Deals too good to be true
• Popular items sold by unknown retailers
• The seller asks for payment through a payment app
• Unprofessional web pages
• Long shipping windows

The BBB also shared the following tips to avoid this scam:

• Research a seller before purchasing
• Compare items to a trusted retailer’s prices and shipping windows
• Don’t trust a social media advertisement outright
• Be extra alert when buying a viral item
• Avoid sales offering multiple items for the price of one

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