(CNN) – As parents across the country scramble to find baby formula, the Better Business Bureau warns that scammers are looking to take advantage.
They issued a warning about potential scams targeting desperate caregivers amid a worsening shortage.
“There’s a lot of new moms out there that are very nervous and very upset because they can’t find it in the store. So, the next natural thing to do is to go online and look for it,” said Sandra Guile, a spokesperson for the BBB.
The BBB has some red flags consumers should be aware of as they look for those out-of-stock products online.
The first red flag is the seller only has positive reviews.
If you don’t see any negative or critical reviews on the website you’re looking to buy from, it could mean it was created by scammers.
The second is misspellings and grammatical errors. And the third is a lack of communication, like if the seller advertises on social media and stops responding after the payment clears.
“Not everybody is completely honest when they’re online or their advertising that they have that product online,” Guile said.
The BBB also gave three tips consumers should keep in mind before they buy.
The first is to do your research. A quick online search with the company name and the word “scam” should pull up any complaints.
The second is to be cautious before clicking online ads, email links and posts on social media groups.
“Maybe ask other moms or other friends saying, ‘Hey, you know, I’m part of…
