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Avoid scammers when shopping online this Hanukkah. ftc.gov/onlineshopping  #ScamFreeHolidayHanukkah is all about spending time with loved ones, celebrating traditions, and, for many, giving gifts. So, as you start preparing for all eight nights, here are some things you can do to avoid scammers when shopping online:

  • Check the seller before you buy. Search online for the name of the seller and product, plus words like “complaint” and “scam.” And read reviews about the seller and their products, too.
  • Look at the seller’s refund and shipping policies. Look for things like who pays the cost for shipping returns, how long you have to return the product, and whether there are any other fees you might have to pay. Check out the seller’s shipping policy, too. If they don’t promise a time to send out your order, they must ship within 30 days.
  • Pay by credit card. Using a credit card gives you more rights to dispute the charge if something goes wrong than other types of payment. And never buy from sellers that only accept gift cards, money transfers, or cryptocurrency for payment.

If you spot a scam or experience problems shopping online, the FTC wants to hear about it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

It is your choice whether to submit a comment. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. Comments and user names are part of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) public records system, and user names also are part of the FTC’s computer user records system. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTC’s Privacy Act system notices. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy.

The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

  • We won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
  • We won’t post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups.
  • We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
  • We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.

Martin Gray
November 24, 2021
Why does not the law crack down on scammers?
BJ Colorado
November 24, 2021
FTC information is interesting and helpful. I appreciate the warnings that FTC provides and share them with my friends and family.
Pokey
November 24, 2021
I just ordered a gift displayed online but ordered via phone and they never gave me an order number, or confirmation email. They cant find my ORDER now on the DAY OF delivery! Didnt think it was going to be an issue since Hubs is an employee, and surely they have a RECORD? Nope, the lady that took my info now HAS MY INFO. Now I need to shut down that card and wait 2 wks for a new one. PLEASE remember to get an order # or confirmation #. Dont put yourself thru this hassle.