Shoppers love the bargains they can snag during Amazon Prime Day (July 8-11, 2025), and other major retailers like Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Kohl’s are offering mid-summer savings around the same time.
During major sales, it’s a good idea to brush up on avoiding common scams. Remember to look for the signs of possible phishing scams, misleading ads and lookalike websites while you’re shopping online.
Online shopping scams are consistently among the riskiest scams reported to BBB and posed a particular risk to people aged 18-34 in 2024. Online purchase scams made up more than 30% of all scams reported to BBB in 2024, and 87.5% of reports said they lost money in the scam.
Major retailers are frequently impersonated by scammers. Amazon, Walmart, Apple, Macy’s and Wayfair all made BBB’s list of the top 20 most impersonated companies in 2024.
Check websites carefully, especially if you’ve never shopped there before. Trust your gut. If something feels off, pause before you pay.
How can I shop online summer sales safely?
● Research the seller. Before you buy, check customer reviews for the product and research the retailer. Make sure you can find contact information for the seller.
● Look out for impostors and lookalike websites. Double check that the retailer’s web address is spelled correctly and check the age of the domain (most domains for big retailers were registered a long time ago, so a brand-new registration could signal a lookalike scam). Remember that scammers can make very convincing fakes – professional photography or logos can be stolen from other sites or AI-generated and don’t necessarily mean the website is legitimate. If logos or other images on the site look blurry, take that as a red flag.
● Watch out for phishing. Phishing attempts increase during busy shopping days. These messages may claim you have a gift waiting for you, that there is a problem with your account or that there is an issue with delivery. Don't click on links in emails or texts you get out of the blue. When making many purchases, keep track of what you buy, where it's from and its tracking number to avoid delivery scams.
● Be wary of social media ads. Pretty much anyone can pay to promote an ad on social media. Scammers might impersonate a major retailer and boost an ad that links to a lookalike website. Avoid clicking ads on social media; instead, go directly to the retailer’s website to shop.
● Make sure websites are secure. Look for the “HTTPS” in the URL (the extra “s” is for “secure”) and a small lock icon on the address bar. Never enter payment or personal information into a website with only “HTTP” – it is NOT secure.
● Be careful when buying in-demand items. If something is sold out, don’t be tempted by a seemingly great deal. Scammers often trick shoppers by offering the most popular products at low prices. Here’s one example involving game consoles.
● Shop with a credit card. It’s easier to dispute charges you didn’t approve or get your money back if there’s a problem. Keep receipts and order confirmations.
● Protect your personal information. Legitimate retail websites may request your payment information, name or phone number to create an account or make a purchase. They should not ask you for private details like logins to your financial accounts, your state ID or your Social Security Number – that's a red flag.
