DETROIT – As more people turn to online shopping, scammers are targeting consumers with counterfeit products.
The Better Business Bureau released a study Tuesday detailing the prevalence of fake goods online.
Apple AirPods are an item that have been heavily counterfeited and sold to unsuspecting shoppers. Some online retailers sell knockoff versions of the wireless earbuds for high prices, while consumers get scammed.
The BBB offered tips for what to do if you've been a victim of an online scam:
- Ask for a refund. Victims who don’t receive anything when buying online with their credit card, or who receive goods that are counterfeit or not as described, should call the customer service number on the back of their card and request a refund. The report goes into great detail about the process of obtaining a refund and the remedies available to victims.
- Report counterfeit goods. Contact one or more of the following:
- National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center : U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) asks victims of counterfeit goods to file a complaint with the IPR Center.
- Better Business Bureau : Victims can file complaints at bbb.org about online sellers that claim to be in the U.S. or Canada. BBB tries to resolve complaints and may help in getting a refund. There is no cost for this service. BBB also looks for and reports patterns of complaints. Consumers can report scams to BBB Scam Tracker .
- Online markets: Victims can complain directly to eBay, Amazon, Facebook and Instagram or other online marketplaces. In addition, Amazon has an “ A-Z guarantee ” for goods sold by third parties on their site; victims who have purchased counterfeit items from a third-party seller can seek a refund here.
- Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IC3) : The FBI takes complaints about counterfeit goods.
- Federal Trade Commission : You can complain to the FTC by calling 877-FTC-Help or file a complaint online .