BBB warns of online scams for Mother’s Day shoppers

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning those shopping for Mother’s Day gifts to be aware of possible scammers.

According to a release, the National Retail Federation (NRF) anticipates families shopping for more Mother’s Day gifts this year than any year in the past. The BBB anticipates an influx of pop-up advertisements as a result of the shopping, which could result in consumers losing money via a scam.

“I would do everything in my power to avoid clicking on [pop-up] ads,” Josh Planos, of the BBB, said. “You simply do not know if you can trust where it’s going to send you.”

The Council Grove Police Department took to Facebook to warn people of a pop-up ad scam that claims they are from an anti-virus website.

One tip Planos points out is to check the URL of the website to ensure it is a secure site. To do so, check the URL at the top of the screen and see if the URL begins with ‘https://’, rather than ‘http://’. “The ‘S’ is a very small difference,” Planos said. “The ‘S’ stands for ‘secure,’ and it tells you that you are on a protected site.” Another way to know it is protected is if there is a ‘lock’ icon in the URL.

The BBB has a Scam Tracker website, which you can find HERE.

More tips on shopping safely for Mother’s Day can be found HERE.