NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — If you spend any time online you’ve probably seen them. Those bogus sales that show up in your social media news feeds.

Was the Grinch behind that ad for trendy holiday gifts that turned out too good to be true? In Bill Sipp’s case it was an ad for lawn mower equipment. He needed two hard-to-find belt parts for his old Snapper mowers.

“So, I found this place that said they did have them in stock,” said Sipp.

Eureka! Sold. After waiting a few days, his order was still pending.

He called his credit card company and was able to reverse the overseas charge.

“It’s embarrassing because once I realize what I’ve done, it’s like, you idiot,” he said.

But he’s not the only one with click remorse. According to a recent study by the Better Business Bureau bogus online sales contributed to a 125% uptick in fraud reports. Scammers are ready to pounce on unsuspecting holiday scrollers.

“Any item that’s sold out everywhere else. If you see it randomly on a website you’ve never heard of, there’s a good chance it could be fraudulent,” said Melanie McGovern with the Better Business Bureau.

Online shoppers might not even realize they’re buying from a third-party vendor and not directly from a reputable shopping website. Not only does this open the door for fraudulent transactions, but also faulty products.

“ Unsafe products like pajamas that violate federal flammability standards and carbon monoxide detectors that don’t work have been sold by third-party sellers,” said Consumer Reports’ Oriene Shin. “Our laws simply haven’t kept up with the emergence of online marketplaces, and,
as a result, they aren’t providing legal and financial incentives for companies to keep consumers safe. That needs to change.”

Before you click ‘buy’ do your homework.

As for Bill, he eventually found what he needed from a credible website.

Just like Bill did –shop online with a credit card. Most credit cards offer fraud protection. If your order never arrives on your doorstep, dispute the charge.

Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at jennifer.kraus@newschannel5.com.