Going big with your holiday decorations? Don’t fall for this scam

If you plan to get festive with your holiday decorations, keep your eyes open for this scam. Each year, BBB Scam Tracker receives complaints during the holiday season about false advertisements and phony promises for holiday decor.

How the scam works

You are searching online for some holiday decorations for your home or lawn. You find the perfect item through a social media ad or a search result. The photos on the website look great. The decorations are larger-than-life with incredible lights and features and, best of all, low prices.

You make your payment and wait for the decorations to arrive. However, when your package is delivered, the product is nothing like what you saw online. Instead, it’s a poorly manufactured miniature version of what you thought you bought. In many cases, you may not receive the items at all. You now don't have a way to return the items or receive a refund. In fact, you probably won’t even be able to contact the company.

One Ohio consumer reported losing $53 after purchasing a Halloween animatronic through an ad online: "I clicked the ad and the website looked like a real vendor. I purchased the item and got a paypal receipt paid to a person that was not the website address nor the business name I ordered from. I attempted to email through the webpage with no luck. I did not get an order confirmation nor a response. The item was not delivered."

A West Virginia consumer reported losing $257 after buying Halloween decorations online: "I have been dealing with this company for over 3 months, trying to get my products with no solution in sight. I paid for some Halloween decorations for my grandkids and only received excuses about where my stuff is."

How to avoid holiday décor scams

—Do your research before you buy. Before you purchase from an unfamiliar website, check out the company. Make sure they have working contact information. This should include a telephone number, email address and, preferably, a physical address. Look on other websites for reviews of the company and reports of scams. You can always look for business ratings and customer reviews on BBB.org.

—Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true. Keep in mind that large decorations that involve special lights and technology are expensive and are generally costly to ship. If you find something amazing for cheap, it could be a scam.

—Don’t make quick purchases on social media. Scam advertisers can track your buying habits from social media ads and target you with specific products they think you’ll fall for. Don’t buy anything on impulse while scrolling through your feed. Do research first to avoid getting scammed.

—Always use your credit card for online purchases. Credit card companies allow you to dispute fraudulent charges, a resource you may not have if you purchase an item with a debit or gift card. If you're being asked to pay via wire transfer, a prepaid gift card or a digital wallet app, it could be a scam.