Shopping online has become very common and it seems no matter what website or social media pages we visit, there is no shortage of ads and shopping opportunities just a click away.

I still like to shop locally when I can, but I admit I do my fair share of online shopping for a variety of things, and usually things I don’t need, but that’s another story.

While we like to think we can spot a scam when shopping online, scammers are getting better by the day at fooling even the most knowledgeable consumers and ripping them off.

That’s why it’s important to be aware of the new or improved ways scammers are trying to take your money or your personal information to use against you. One such scam is out there now and there has been an increase in the number of people reporting that they’ve fallen victim.

Here Is How The Credit Card Scam Works

According to the Better Business Bureau, this credit card scam can hit you when shopping online at a retail website that seems reputable. You could also receive an email from what you think is a reputable business for a discounted or free offer and decide to take advantage.

You enter your personal information, including your credit card number, email address, phone number, and shipping address to make a purchase, but once you do that, the website tells you that your card was declined or you receive an error message, “Your card did not go through for some reason.”

You may then try another card for payment, thinking there’s an issue with that card that you’ll resolve with them later, but you receive the same error message with your other card.

When you call your bank or credit card company to ask about the declines, they tell you that your cards have not been declined. In fact, you’ve been charged more than you anticipated for the purchase.

That’s when you realize that either the website you were shopping on was a scam or the email you were sent from the business was fraudulent and now you’ve been ripped off and you’ve personal and financial information to a scammer. Ug!

The Better Business Bureau says they’ve received numerous reports of this type of scam on the BB Scam Tracker.

Several consumers have reported similar experiences to BBB Scam Tracker. Thankfully, most credit card companies protect you from fraud, but that doesn’t change the fact that a lot of personal information is now in the hands of scammers.

How To Avoid This And Similar Online Purchase Scams:

The BBB has provided the following tips to help prevent this from happening to you:

• Verify you’re shopping on a legitimate website. Scammers build fake, lookalike websites to trick shoppers into thinking they are buying from the actual business. Look closely at the URL (it may be off by a letter or two) and check that the website is secure by verifying you see the “https://” in front of the URL.
• Watch out for fake emails, texts, and ads. Scammers often impersonate businesses in fake emails, text messages, and social media ads. Scrutinize any unsolicited messages and verify every link before clicking on them. If it’s even the least bit fishy, delete the message or ignore the ad, and visit the business’s website on your own instead of clicking the links.
• Don’t be fooled by great offers. Prices that seem too good to be true often are. If you’re unsure about purchasing from a business, shop around with other retailers to compare the pricing of the product you want and go with who you know and trust.
• Research the business. Before purchasing, look up customer reviews online and search the business on BBB.org. Look for the BBB Seal to verify if the business is BBB Accredited. If you think it may be a scam, search on the BBB Scam Tracker.
• Use a credit card for extra protection. If you plan to make a purchase, use a credit card. Credit card companies offer additional protection against fraud, and you should be able to dispute any unanticipated charges on your account.
• Check up on your credit and debit card protections. There’s never a bad time to talk with your bank and credit card company to confirm what protections you have on your cards, set purchase limits and travel restrictions, and sign up to get notified when purchases are made at any dollar amount.

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