BBB Tip: Don’t let scams ruin Mother’s Day!
Milwaukee, Wis. – Mother’s Day is coming up, and along with it, the purchase of special gifts. Even with the pandemic continuing to place restrictions on how people would rather spend the time together, the National Retail Federation survey shows families are finding ways to celebrate. In fact, consumers are planning to spend as much, if not more, on Mother’s Day than they have in the past. An optimistic 46 percent still want to plan a traditional special outing, brunch or other activity. BBB reminds everyone to exercise caution when shopping on online and in stores when it comes to spending money.
Online purchasing scams are identified as the third riskiest by BBB’s Annual Risk Report and as such, here are few suggestions to avoid this situation:
- Shopping Online. Avoid suspicious websites and glossy pop-up ads. Make sure the website has the https:// and the ‘lock’ icon in the URL. Don’t click on hyperlinks in unsolicited emails. Pay with credit card or PayPal. Understand return and refund policies. Read the fine print. BBB has more tips for online shopping.
- Flowers. Since Mother’s Day flower sales are the second-highest sales period for your local florist, it’s important to choose wisely and find someone you can trust with your order. Complaints filed with BBB about florists included flowers being late, wrong, or not delivered. Also, it is not uncommon for local flower shops to be affiliated with third-party entities. BBB advises consumers to confirm that the business they are placing their order with is in fact affiliated with that online source. If you are sending flowers to you mother in another city, it is best to check online for a florist in her area. Make sure you have enough time for delivery, ask about all fees associated with your order and make sure the date is specified clearly and guaranteed when you order. Read more about buying flowers.
- Electronics. Whether you plan to buy Mom a new phone, tablet or another electronic device, make sure you leave it the original packaging. Many retailers require the original packaging in order to process returns or exchanges. Buy from reputable dealers.
- Gift Cards and Certificates. Check the terms and conditions of any gift card or certificate before buying so that it won’t be a problem. If you’re giving a gift card to someone who will make online purchases, check to see that the gift card is redeemable for Internet shopping, and not just for in-store use. Make sure the gift card has not been tampered with. Before you buy a gift card, consider these additional tips.
- Guides, Tours and Classes. Art classes, wine tastings and cooking lessons are fun ways to celebrate and spend time with Mom, once Stay-at-Home orders are lifted. However, it’s important to get the details of these activities in writing. Be sure to clarify total costs and features, if there are reservations needed, if there are any restrictions, special time requirements or cancellation fees.
For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin BBB at www.bbb.org/wisconsin, 414-847-6000 or 1-800-273-1002. Consumers also can find more information about how to protect themselves from scams by following the Wisconsin BBB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
ABOUT BBB: For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2018, people turned to BBB more than 173 million times for BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.4 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org. There are local, independent BBBs across the United States, Canada and Mexico, including BBB Serving Wisconsin which was founded in 1939 and serves the state of Wisconsin.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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