Better Business Bureau serving Canton Region and Greater West Virginia offers tips and advice for consumers to avoid fraudulent practices.

Tricky websites claim to offer discounted prices on Stanley cups and tumblers in a scam reported to BBB Scam Tracker repeatedly in recent weeks. Here’s how to spot the scam so you don’t lose money or personal information to con artists.

How the scam works

You see an ad for Stanley travel cups on social media or after an online search. It appears to be from the official Stanley company or a popular sporting goods store. According to an ad, the store is running a flash sale with great prices on the cups – some are discounted to half the original price or more.

Enticed by a good deal, you click on the link and are redirected to a website where you can purchase. It appears to be a legitimate site, so you enter your payment information and are charged for the item. However, then you notice the red flags. Some buyers reported never receiving a confirmation email and being unable to contact the company. Others received shipping information, but never received their product. Several victims reported getting confirmation that their product had been delivered to Alaska, which is not where they reside. When purchasing through a shady website, your personal information and money spent will be gone for good. The Stanley cup you ordered most likely never existed.

Here is one consumer’s firsthand experience: “There was an advertisement for Stanley travel cups for Mother’s Day through Dick’s Sporting Goods. I clicked the ad and was taken to the ‘Stanley’ website, where I ordered and entered my credit card info. I received an order confirmation notice and tracking information from the seller. However, my travel cups were apparently ‘delivered’ in a completely different state, almost 800 miles from my location! The items were delivered the day after a ‘Missing Mail Search Request’ was initiated, but it wasn’t initiated or requested by me. I have tried to contact both the shipping company and the seller through their website but have not gotten any response.”

How to avoid online shopping scams

• Only make purchases through sellers you know and trust. When making purchases online, only buy products from reputable businesses. If you find a great deal through an unknown seller, do plenty of research to ensure they are legit before entrusting them with your personal information and hard-earned money.

• Watch for imitation websites. Even if you think you are on a well-known vendor’s website, you might not be. Scammers are experts at making lookalike websites to fool consumers into entering their personal and payment information. Double check the URL to ensure you are not on a website that looks like a seller you know, but is off by a word or even a single letter. Read more at www.bbb.org/all/spot-a-scam/how-to-identify-a-fake-website.

• Be cautious about ads on social media. Many reputable businesses run social media ads but so do scammers. Doing your research can help sort real businesses from scams. Check out a business’ social media feed, website, and read reviews about the company on third-party websites to ensure they are a real business with real customers, quality products, and good customer service.

• Stay extra vigilant around holidays. BBB Scam Tracker received multiple reports about this Stanley cup scam prior to Mother’s Day. If a holiday is approaching (especially one where it is customary to send gifts), watch for scams. Try not to wait until the last minute to purchase a gift also. Bad actors play on people’s desire to get a good deal and know that last-minute shoppers are more vulnerable since they won’t have the time to research the seller.

For more information – To learn more, find general tips on avoiding scams by visiting BBB.org/all/scamtips. If you spot a scam, report it at BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your report can help others avoid falling victim.

For BBB information – Visit BBB.org or call 330-454-9401 to look up a business, file a complaint, write a customer review, read tips, find our events, follow us on social media, and more!

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Straight Talk: How to spot fake ads for Stanley travel cups