Above / Better Business Bureau (BBB) announces Top 10 Regional Scams of the Year, with high hopes public input will help prevent scams in 2021.
Recent results released by local Scam Tracker findings from the BBB of Chicago and Northern Illinois report the menacing problem of online purchase scams have continued to escalate in 2020 and are now at the top of the list for scams. Related to online purchases and phony website scams, Counterfeit Product Scams jumped from #9 last year into the #2 position this year.
While COVID related scams we’re listed as #4, the number could be much higher since some Covid-19 related scams are contained in other multiple other categories including phishing, counterfeit product, employment, identity theft scams, and others.
“Scammers have been notorious for taking advantage of any current events and news, and unfortunately, the pandemic has been an exception,” notes Naperville resident Steve Bernas, president, and CEO of BBB of Chicago and Northern Illinois. “This has been an opportunity for fraudsters to prey on people’s emotions and the huge increases in remote working and line shopping. As we start the new year, with vaccines and stimulus programs continuing to roll out, we only expect to see these trends continue.”
This year’s top ten list also features the return of Employment Scams, Debt Collection, Advance Fee Loans, Credit Cards, and Identity Theft.
These results are based on incidents reported locally. Later this year, the BBB Scamtracker national results will be announced based on exposure (incidents reported), susceptibility, and money lost to access the riskiest scams.
Bernas adds, “The information we receive from the public is vital to stop these scams. We urge everyone to report any scams they see to the BBB Scamtracker, to help protect others from loss.”
Top 10 Scams of 2020
- Online Purchase – fake websites
- Counterfeit Products (Clothing, electronics, shoes, purses, etc.)
- Employment – scam job offers
- COVID Related Scams – (These may be much higher – COVID is sited in other categories)
- Debt Collections – invoices, calls or emails for fake debts
- Advance Fee Loan – the promise of a “loan” – after you pay fees
- Phishing Scams – (Clicking on scam links can lead to malware – imposter scams etc.)
- Credit Card – Includes fake emails and calls claiming there’s a problem with your account in order to steal money and information – or fake credit card debt consolidation
- Credit Repair/Debt Relief
- Identity Theft – Can we say, “Not a matter of if, but when it will happen to you?”
BBB encourages consumers to learn how to recognize scams and how to avoid them by following these ten simple steps: bbb.org/avoid scams.
Better Business Bureau (BBB®) of Chicago and Northern Illinois
BBB of Chicago and Northern Illinois is a nonprofit organization that has served both consumers and trustworthy businesses for over 93 years and is a part of the IABBB. We help protect consumers from scams and provide an extensive free database for consumers to see business ratings and reviews. We help promote trustworthy businesses and strive to provide tools to help businesses of integrity excel.
More about BBB®
BBB of Chicago and Northern Illinois is a nonprofit organization that has served both consumers and trustworthy businesses for over 93 years and is a part of the IABBB. We help protect consumers from scams and provide an extensive free database for consumers to see business ratings and reviews. We help promote trustworthy businesses and strive to provide tools to help businesses of integrity excel.
