BBB Wants Shoppers To Brush Up On Scams

DENVER (CBS4) - The Better Business Bureau is out with a warning of the holiday scams most likely to pop up this season. It includes a warning specifically for parents.

Parents can feel a lot of pressure trying to get that perfect children's gift, especially if it involves young children and toys -- or teens and gadgets.

The BBB warns one of the most common holiday scams involves the hottest toys and gadgets. After they sell out at stores and reliable websites, another online seller will pop up claiming it has hundreds of the items, but it's not true.

The BBB also warns against bogus charity requests. Make sure to take the time to check the charity to make sure it's legit.

"You have to be careful that you're not taken advantage of because the retail store may have it in two days," Dale Mingilton with the BBB said. "The other thing you have to make sure of is that you're not sending it to someone who really doesn't have it -- they post a nice picture, you send the money, and it just disappears."

 

Make sure to be careful using debit and credit cards, especially when flipping them over to check the security code. Some thieves will use phones to snap pictures of both sides so they have access to the account.

The BBB also warns against phishing scams. That's where someone gets an e-mail asking for lots of private information. Giving out that info can really get a person into trouble.

The BBB says always check websites by heading to their site -- DenverBBB.org.