With the high demand for baby formula, scammers are popping up online and tricking families into paying for overpriced formula which never arrives. Scammers are setting up fake websites or profiles on social media platforms. These include logos and images of well-known formula brands, making it seem like you are purchasing formula from official company websites.*
How to Avoid Becoming a Victim in this Scam*
- Do an online search of the company or product with terms such as “review,” “complaint,” or “scam.”
- Be cautious how you pay. Credit cards provide the greatest likelihood to get your money back while payments to be by gift card, money transfer, or cryptocurrency are likely scams.
- Pay attention to the order shipping timeframe. If the seller can’t ship within the promised time, they have to give a revised shipping date with the option to either cancel your order, get a full refund, or accept the new shipping date.
- Instead of searching online, search for local resources. Contact your pediatrician to see if they have the formula in stock. Pediatricians often have samples of different formulas they can provide.
If you suspect or become the victim of a scam, report it to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
*Not Enough Baby Formula Means Plenty of Scammers, Colleen Tressler, Federal Trade Commission.