Scam Alert: Santa’s Toy House
With consumers getting ready for Black Friday and other holiday shopping, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is urging the public to be wary of fake online retailers.
An Okanagan resident tried to buy toys from a website called www.santastoyhouse.com, which offered lower prices but of oddly charged no taxes or shipping fees and provided no contact info.
BBB investigations have determined the site is fake, and is trying to trick consumers into sharing their credit card information.
“As we approach the biggest shopping season of the year, consumers need to be careful as they shop, especially while online, as scammers are setting traps to steal their money and personal information,” said Karla Davis, Manager for Community and Public Relations at BBB serving Mainland B.C. “Fake online retailers are luring in consumers with low prices and in the end, they may up with poor quality products or worse, nothing at all, with very limited options for recourse.”
The BBB findings revealed:
No address, phone number, email address or any other method of communication for the business on their website. – Reputable retailers usually provide several contact methods for consumers to reach them.
Their privacy policy is only found on the checkout page, and the page is a dead link. – Reputable retailers have pages on their websites that outline their terms and conditions as well as the privacy policies. The pages will be easily accessible and complete with details for consumers to review.
None of the social media links connect to any existing social media page or account for the business. – Reputable retailers want to be seen online, and do not want dead links on their website.
No payment method options are listed on the website for consumers. The website only facilitates entering credit card information on the checkout page. – Reputable retailers want to give consumers as many payment options as possible.
Prices are considerably lower than market price and remain the same, whether or not you are purchasing from Canada or the USA. – One item for comparison is the 16″ Schwinn Girls’ Bloom Bike. On Walmart, the item is being sold for $119, with a sale price of $98. However, Santa’s Toy House has the same item for $74.63.