How to Spot Shopping Scams

Free may be fabulous and heavily discounted isn't bad either, but it isn't always what it's cracked up to be. While "If it's too good to be true..." doesn't apply in all cases, there are definite telltale signs that an offer is more trap than deal. Bilkers and beguilers have been around forever; today, however, when scammers have computer technology at their disposal, the warning caveat emptor ("let the buyer beware") has never been more apt. Digital scammers dangle bait via e-mail, knowing that in the huge pool of potential victims there are plenty who are ready to bite. These hustlers also play on human greed, promising easy money through scams that redirect funds from victims' pockets to theirs.

Out-and-out cons aren't the only things you need to watch out for. Some legitimate businesses service providers and credit card companies have ways of subtly trapping you into paying a bit more on monthly bills than is fair. A classic example is a questionable service charge by your phone company, with the often dubious justification buried in the fine print in the flyers accompanying your monthly bill (the flyers that most customers never read!) This is less a true scam and more a failure to adequately disclose information to customers, but the net result is still your loss.

"Toddler togs 'n' toys closeout. Up to 80 percent off!" So says the newspaper ad from a store we'll call Kiddy Planet. You arrive at 11 a.m. on the day the ad appears, only to find that the sale items are four shorts-and-shirt sets (all in size XXL) and three stuffed animals. A salesperson says there was "a run on everything" when the doors opened, then directs you to a rack of irresistibly cute shirts. You buy two. As you walk out you realize you were snagged by a great-sounding, but nonexistent deal and you're $50 poorer.

In a typical bait-and-switch tactic, the salesperson says the store has sold out of the advertised item, then offers you a similar item at a higher price, or tells you the lower-priced product is of inferior quality and directs you to a pricier one.

Protect yourself: Check the fine print in ads offering great deals. If disclaimers like "limited quantities" or "no rain checks" appear, the store may be pulling a bait-and-switch. If you're ever scammed by a tactic like this, lodge a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.