Consumer Alert
Scammers follow the headlines. They take advantage of what’s happening in the news to find new ways to get people to part with their money. During the COVID pandemic, cleaning supplies have been in high demand, but often in short supply. Scammers see that as opportunity knocking.
Today, the FTC announced a complaint against defendants who are using fake websites (with real product names in the web address) and real product images and logos of well-known brands like Clorox and Lysol — all to make people think they’re buying products from the companies’ official websites.
The FTC says that none of the sites are owned by, affiliated with, or authorized by the companies that make Clorox and Lysol, and that none of the people who paid for cleaning and disinfecting products from these sites got what they ordered.
The FTC is working to shut down the sites, stop the defendants from setting up future sites, and help people protect themselves against these kinds of scams.
Before you order from an unfamiliar online store, consider these tips to help avoid a scam:
- When trying to find items that you know are in high demand and short supply – like cleaning supplies or PPE in the middle of a pandemic – you need to be extra careful when buying online, especially if the seller is offering items that are generally out of stock elsewhere.
- Look at the terms of the sale. Calculate the total price, including taxes, shipping, and handling. Find out when you can expect your delivery. If you have to return the item, can you get a refund? Who pays for return shipping? Is there a restocking fee?
- Pay by credit card. You’ll get protections under federal law, so you don’t have to pay for merchandise you ordered but didn’t get.
- If you have a problem with an online purchase, try to work it out with the seller, but remember: you have the right to reverse an unauthorized or fraudulent charge directly with your credit card issuer by filing a chargeback dispute. And if you suspect a scam, let the FTC know at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. To learn more about avoiding COVID-related scams, visit ftc.gov/coronavirus.
Search Terms
Topics
29 Comments
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 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.
In reply to What is FTC doing about by Jesse Bailey
You can report a business practice to the FTC at www.ReporFraud.FTC.gov.
In reply to I was also scammed in the by scammed
In reply to That happened to me and I was by Jr0502
In reply to Amonth ago i went to a lysol by Linda R.
If you used a credit card and were charged for something you didn't get, you can dispute the charge with your credit card company. This FTC article tells what to do if you're charged for something you never received.
In reply to I ordered lysol wipes from by Karri
If you were charged for something you didn't get, you can dispute the charge with your credit card company. This FTC article tells what to do if you're charged for something you never received.