That Great Online Deal Might Not Be What It Seems

You know the feeling. You’re scrolling, minding your own business, and suddenly there it is: the exact thing you’ve been wanting, at a price that seems almost like a typo. Half off, free shipping, and “only two left in stock.” Your thumb is hovering over “Buy Now” before your brain even finishes the sentence “this seems too good to be true.”

Sometimes it really is just a good deal. But online shopping scams are among the most common forms of fraud out there, and this is exactly how most of them start.

Here’s how it might play out: you find a great deal on a site or a social media ad you’ve never seen before. You order it, hand over your card info, and then…nothing. No package, no response to emails, and sometimes worse, a handful of charges on your card that you never made.

The good news is you don’t have to give up online shopping to stay safe. A few smart habits can go a long way. Check reviews somewhere other than the seller’s own page, since reviews on the product listing are easy to fake. Stay suspicious of prices that are way, way lower than everywhere else selling the same thing. And if a seller tries to move your payment off the platform you’re using, whether that’s a marketplace app or a payment service, treat that as a hard no. Once you’re off the platform, you’ve lost whatever protection it was offering.

Shopping online doesn’t have to mean second-guessing every purchase. It just means shopping a little smarter, so you can click “buy” with confidence.

Worried your dream deal wasn’t legitimate? Don’t sit on it. Call us at 402-761-7600 or stop by your local branch. The Fraud Squad is ready to help you sort out what happens next.