Online shopping has become so easy no matter where you are, but some of those "steals" you find on certain items could be counterfeited.
A study conducted by the Better Business Bureau details why you need to be careful when buying things on third party sites, even if what you want is 50 percent off.
"If it sounds too good to be true it probably is,"BBB Regional Director Adam Price said.
Usually the third party sites aren't selling the original product that is advertised and the quality you want won't be as favorable to the legitimate retailer.
Any item that has the ability to be shipped and has a reputation for expensive, but good quality and sizable, be aware the product can be counterfeited. The biggest indicator is the brand name. The BBB says to always make sure you are on the website of the company that owns the product you're trying to buy.
The BBB says a website is secure when there is an 's' after the HTTP if there is no 's' it's probably a scam sight.
"Counterfeiting has been around since name brands have been around they're usually on the street corner selling something. With the internet, eight out of every ten people buy things online," Price said.
One in four Americans fall victim to purchasing a counterfeited item without even realizing it.
Wayne Brown is usually buying gardening and other outdoor equipment online, he'll always pay extra for the name brand.
"I try to buy the brand name because that's what I'm looking for, I don't normally go to a discount site," Brown said.
Some counterfeit sites may use the same pictures as the original company but then send fake items. If this has ever happened to you it can be frustrating, and these sites can be found with a simple Google search.
Today, common products that are sold by counterfeiters include brand-name sunglasses, designer clothing, sports jerseys and other equipment such as golf clubs, athletic shoes and watches.
If you end up on a website that looks like a scam you want to report it.
The BBB has a scam tracker, where you can type in any city, URL, or brand name and see if there were any recent counterfeited items in your area. The website explains what the complaint was and how it was resolved. To go to the scam tracker click here.
You can report any scam website to the BBB or FBI.
In 2018 the FBI received 2,249 complaints regarding the internet crime. With those complaints, $757,377 were lost from the Federal Trade Commission.
"Reporting it is very important, that you let folks know that hey, this is hot it's out there. This is a criminal that's out there advertising really hard right now on Facebook and be aware," Price said.
Legitimate brands spend a lot of money to bring you the best product, when they lose your business to a scam it's harming their willingness to invest in innovation. The trust of the consumer is effected when counterfeit goods are easily accessible as business continue to lose sales, lost sales mean lost jobs.
The report found victims of counterfeited goods can be anyone. Those who are most at risk are in their 20's, and those who tend to file scam reports the most are between 30 and 39 years old.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre states that 53 percent of the victims it encounters are female, while 47 percent are male. The average loss of money per person is around $350.
A study from the general accountability office found 88 percent of products being sold as fakes came from China and Hong Kong. They're usually conducted by organized crime groups, so the websites will look very similar to the one of the original.
"Call the company, call the manufacturer directly and find out if they have authorized dealers beyond themselves," Price said.
