LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — Online purchase fraud is the third most popular scam, with deceptive ads on social media linked to over $1 billion in losses.

Chris Babin, Better Business Bureau of Acadiana CEO, said social media scams give scammers an easy way to reach a lot of people, with little to no vetting in place for those creating advertisements.

“It’s easy to go create something that looks legitimate,” Babin said. “It’s not until you do some research that you realize that this is not a legitimate company, it’s not a legitimate website. But social media platforms themselves won’t necessarily catch that when the advertisements are created.”

Con artists go beyond tricking you into buying non-existing or undelivered products through social media ads. They prey on your emotions with fake charity appeals.

Thanks for signing up!

Watch for us in your inbox.

Subscribe Now

“If they can make us feel as though we’re supporting a good cause …