Every year, there are always a few “must-have” toys on most kids’ holiday wish lists. The hot toy sells out fast and becomes expensive and hard to find. That’s when scammers use the toys’ popularity to trick parents out of their money.
In 2022, according to Amazon (a BBB Accredited Business), the “hot toys” include Magic Mixies Magical Misting Crystal Ball, Snap Circuits, Breyer Horses Unicorn Magic Wood Stable, National Geographic Break Open Geodes, and everyone’s favorite, Squishmallows.
How the scam works
You are looking for these toys, but they are sold out at every store you visit. So you decide to shop online. A quick search takes you to a page that miraculously has the toy in stock. The site may look professional and have original images of the product. It may even offer the product at discounted prices, claiming a “last-minute deal” or “flash sale.”
Unfortunately, many such offers are fake. In many cases reported to BBB.org/ScamTracker, buyers thought they were ordering a high-quality toy. Instead, they received a cheap counterfeit version. In other cases, the products never shipped at all and the websites vanished. In either case, when the dissatisfied customers tried to follow up with the company, they found that the staff either didn’t respond or refused to provide a refund.
For example, one shopper told BBB Scam Tracker that they fell for a phony deal on a popular plush toy: “This company offered hard-to-find Squishmallows. I purchased…
