Online Buying Fraud on the Rise

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Obtained from: eMarketer


If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Online buying scams were the biggest type of consumer fraud in 2017, according to the Better Business Bureau's (BBB's) annual scam-tracking report—up from fourth place a year earlier. The rise of digital shopping and growing comfort with sharing personal information online are factors in this growing category of fraud.

At its most basic, consumers pay for something they never receive, which according to the BBB involves pets and clothing more than other types of online purchases. Most cases involve credit card payments.

The report broke down susceptibility and loss by age, and very clear patterns emerged.

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