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Beware of online ads with elaborate backstories. They may not be from a real small business
Experts say 36% of Americans report losing money to online scams using fake small-business stories and urge shoppers to verify authenticity before buying.
- Ahead of the holiday season, online storefronts like Melia & Co. use sentimental backstories and web domains registered in China in November to appear family-run.
- Scammers often use fake hardship narratives like going-out-of-business or memorial sales and place misleading e-commerce ads in social media feeds and website banners.
- Experts recommend checking a merchant’s verifiable address and contacting owners by email or phone, plus consulting ICANN/GoDaddy/Whois and reviews on Better Business Bureau, Trustpilot, Amazon, or Etsy.
- Consumers face about 36% failing to get refunds for counterfeit or missing items, and Trustpilot reviews reveal poor goods and returns that damage real businesses like Deanna Newman and C'est La Vie.
- Experts warn that AI and faster digital tools make scams harder to detect, and even after takedowns, copycat sites and pop-up ads keep using deceptive tactics.
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46 Articles
46 Articles
Daily Breeze+45 Reposted by 45 other sources
Beware of online ads with elaborate backstories. They may not be from a real small business
By MAE ANDERSON, AP Business Writer Melia & Co appears to be a small family-run business. The sweaters on its website feature a photo of a woman hand-knitting a Christmas design. The caption says that after decades of creating knitwear that tells “quiet stories of care and beauty,” she is closing her little studio and the pieces on offer are her last. Related Articles How to conduct your own portfolio makeover Fina…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources46
Leaning Left1Leaning Right3Center36Last UpdatedBias Distribution90% Center
Bias Distribution
- 90% of the sources are Center
90% Center
C 90%
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