Facebook ads are supposedly tailor-fit to each user. Advertisers track our likes and our clicks, and promote products based on what we’ve bought before. For the most part, these ads check out and, if bought, the product arrives in a couple of weeks. But according to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), a new Facebook ad scam is popping up on people’s feeds and is gladly taking their money without giving them anything in return.
The scam hides behind an ad for the “Trendy Iron” hair straightener. The slogan for the product is “One Iron. Endless Possibilities,” and it shows women using the iron while achieving great results.
But when Facebook users have attempted to purchase the Trendy Iron, they end up with thinner wallets and no product. The BBB says that the buying process seems normal and customers even get an expected arrival date. However, after that date passes, the buyer realizes there is no way to reach out to company and sometimes the Trendy Iron website goes completely dark.
Unfortunately, the Trendy Iron is just one of several phony ads making the Facebook rounds. The BBB reports that several ads for cosmetics, clothing, health supplements, and even pets are scamming people out of hundreds of dollars.
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There are ways to protect yourself from buying into one of these ad scams. Firstly, make sure the business you’re buying from has proper contact information. Try the listed phone number and/or send the place an email and wait for a response before purchasing.
Secondly, if the price is too good to be true, then the product is also probably too good to be true.
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And thirdly, do your research before buying with an advertised company. Make sure they’re legitimate by checking if HTTPS is in their domain name. And see if anyone else has bought from the company and had luck.
A simple search on Facebook for “Trendy Iron” came back with all posts related to people being scammed. It literally pays off to go the extra mile and look into a business before buying.
If you’ve been affected by this scam, or other Facebook ad scams, report them to the Better Business Bureau at BBB.org/ScamTracker.