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BBB reveals 2022's top scams in West Michigan

For the second year in a row, the top scam in West Michigan was related to online purchasing.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Better Business Bureau of Western Michigan is revealing the top consumer scams of 2022.

For the second year in a row, the top scam in West Michigan was related to online purchasing. These online purchasing scams are considered to be the riskiest scam for consumers, according to the 2021 BBB Scam Tracker Risk Reporter.

"Scammers know we are shopping online and target consumers casually scrolling through social media feeds,” says Lisa Frohnapfel, President & CEO of the Better Business Bureau in Western Michigan. “Don’t let the too-good-to-be-true prices and flashy advertisements lure you into clicking on fraudulent sites and handing over your hard-earned money.”

Scammers were known to target consumers on social media by using product photos from legitimate businesses. Following the link from social media would take consumers to a copycat website that was designed to either steal personal information or sell counterfeit items to the consumer.

Among the online purchasing scams, pet scams were found to cost Michiganders the most money in 2022, according to the BBB.

The second riskiest scams for consumers in 2022 was employment scams, which has remained a common scam for the last five years.

Victims of this scam were hired to do remote work, but their information was either stolen or they were never compensated for their work.

And the third riskiest scam for Michiganders were phishing scams, where scammers use email, phone calls or text messages to trick you into giving them your personal and financial information.

Below, you can find a list of the top scams and some tips from the BBB on how to avoid them.

Top scams of 2022 in West Michigan

  1. Online purchases
  2. Employment
  3. Phishing

Tips for avoiding online purchase and pet scams:

  • Research before you buy.
  • Watch out for social media scams.
  • Only shop on secure sites.
  • Use a credit card.
  • See pets in-person before paying any money.

Tips for avoiding employment scams:

  • Research the job offer and verify the email address matches the actual company.
  • Be cautious of work-from-home jobs.
  • Be wary of job offers that don't require an interview.
  • Vague job descriptions and big money for small tasks is a red flag.
  • Be cautious in providing personal information.

Tips for avoiding phishing scams:

  • Call the company directly or checking the company website directly.
  • Don't click, download, or open anything that comes from an anonymous sender.
  • Question generic emails.
  • Protect your computer by using security software.

If you come across a scam, you can report it to the BBB Scam Tracker or the Federal Trade Commission via reportfraud.ftc.gov or calling 877-FTC-HELP.

If you used a credit card in a scam, report the incident to your credit card company.

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