Mother’s Day is around the corner and while scammers may love their mom’s too, they’ll think nothing of scamming you and your mom out of your cash.
“Mother’s Day is one of the biggest spending times of the year after Christmas,” say Evan Kelly, Senior Communications Advisor for the Better Business Bureau (BBB). “Flower shopping online is fast and convenient, but not without its risks. While the vast majority of people are thrilled with their purchases, others have learned these transactions can lead to profound disappointment.”
As with any special time of the year, BBB warns of potential scams when shopping for Mom:
Flowers:
• Start with trust. Check out the company with BBB at www.mbc.bbb.org to see what other consumers’ experiences have been. You may end up saving yourself a lot of grief and disappointment.
• Allow time for shipping. Check with the retailer to make sure that you have allowed enough time for delivery by your specified date. Make sure that this date is specified clearly and guaranteed when you order. If you order ahead of time, delivery and other charges may be less than a last minute order.
• Ask around. Recommendations from friends are always a good bet.
• Search for location. Does the online flower shop have a brick and mortar store to contact if there is a problem?
E-Cards:
• Don’t open any e-cards that don’t have your children’s name in them.
• E-cards with generic “From your kids!!” could be fake.
• Opening non-specific e-cards can subject your computer to malware.
• Call your kids to see if they did in fact send an e-card.
• Look for spelling mistakes like ‘Congratulation!’ or if names are spelled wrong.
• Any doubts, just delete it.
Gift Card Scams:
• Don’t purchase gift cards from pop-ups in social media.
• Go to the website of, or the store where you wish to purchase the gift card.
• Make sure the code on the back has not been revealed.
• If buying online, make sure your anti-virus programs are up to date.
• Point of purchase website should begin with https://
• They should have no expiration date.
