Better Business Bureau warning people to be safe while shopping for popular items – KAGSTV.com

BRYAN, Texas As we get closer and closer to Christmas day, its time for procrastinators to kick it into high gear and get those last minute gifts.

Some high in demand holiday gifts could be sold out in popular retail stores, and if you were to search and come across a random site that offers these items, even at a discounted price, you might want to think twice before purchasing. The Better Business Bureau is warning about fake offers online.

"If you suddenly find a surplus of them somewhere that isn't one of the regular retailers of the product, that's something to look into," says Amy Rasor, the Fort Worth regional director for the Better Business Bureau.

Rasor said the first thing to do while shopping online is to do your research.

"Check out the company," Rasor said. "See if they have any negative reviews, any costumer complaints about the product or delivery."

The Better Business Bureau said to also keep in mind one of the golden rules while shopping. If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is.

"You also want to look for discrepancies when checking out and researching the companies to see if this product that you're purchasing could be counterfeit," Rasor said. "There are a lot of counterfeit goods being sold, especially on the internet right now."

Sometimes our email inbox could get a message about a deal for that 'must have' item we've been scouring the internet for, but be careful before you click on that link.

The Bryan Police Department says you should head directly to whatever website is offering that deal.

"You could get an email from Amazon or PayPal and it looks legitimate but it's not," said Officer Kelley McKeathen. "The number one rule is that if it comes to you in an email, don't click on it."

As the years go on, scammers are getting smarter and coming up with more ways to get your information and money. But by doing your research and only heading to sites you trust, you can stay one step ahead of them this holiday season.

ALSO POPULAR ON KAGSTV.COM:

2,168 Angel Kids Receiving Presents This Christmas

HOLIDAY BLUES: How to cope with seasonal grief and sadness

Chilly Wednesday morning temps and an uptick in moisture by Friday

See the original post:

Better Business Bureau warning people to be safe while shopping for popular items - KAGSTV.com