The Federal Trade Commission has warned parents and caregivers of scams popping up trying to take advantage of the baby formula shortage.

The scam could be through fraudulent websites or fake social media profiles that trick consumers into paying hiked-up prices for a product that never arrives.

The FTC provides tips, such as searching online for what others are saying about a particular website, using local resources such as pediatricians or local Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition assistance programs, or paying with a credit card rather than a gift card, money transfer or cryptocurrency.

Ohio consumers can report scams to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/ or the Ohio Attorney General's office at ohioattorneygeneral.gov/About-AG/Contact/Report-A-Scam.

Approximately 40% of popular formula brands are sold out across the country, but parents may have better luck searching for formula online, including retailers such as Amazon, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Office Max.

Abbott Laboratories, the manufacturer of the infant formula Similac, announced Monday it would be ramping up infant formula production at its Columbus Abbott Nutrition facility.

More: Parents struggle to find infant formula following Abbott product recall

The move comes as the company has reached a deal with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reopen its Sturgis, Michigan, production plant after the department shut down the plant in February following an inspection that found various sanitation issues.

The shutdown, along with voluntary recalls of Abbott formulas — including Similac, Similac PM 60/40, Alimentum and EleCare — contributed further to a nationwide shortage of infant formula starting late last year.

"We know millions of parents and caregivers depend on us and we're deeply sorry that our voluntary recall worsened the nationwide formula shortage," Abbott said in a release.

The recalls were tied to consumer complaints related to bacteria known as Cronobacter sakazakii or Salmonella Newport in infants who consumed powder formula made in the Michigan facility.

Two infants have died, according to the FDA, but an investigation by the agency, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Abbott found no conclusive evidence linking Abbott's formulas to the infants' illnesses, Abbott said in a statement.

tmoorman@dispatch.com

@TaijuanNichole

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Baby formula shortage is leading to scams. Here's how to avoid them