John McClendon thought he bought the perfect Christmas gift for his wife, a San Francisco 49ers fan: a No. 97 jersey with special patches like the Golden Gate Bridge. But what arrived last Christmas Eve was a child’s size.
McClendon, of Blaine, returned it within a few days to Lipomarts, an unfamiliar company he found on Amazon.com, requesting the correct size or a refund. Neither happened because the company said he didn’t meet the 30-day return window.
“I know it’s only $58, but my wife was out of a gift,” the 53-year-old McClendon said. “It’s the point of the matter.”
Such scams increase during the holiday season as fraudsters see more opportunities to take advantage of consumers who often feel stressed and hurried. And scammers also prey on people’s generosity as charity appeals ramp up.
“Those emotions are exploited by scammers,” said Bao Vang, a vice president of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving Minnesota and North Dakota. “They know we are doing too much with too little time. We’re all looking for gifts and deals.”
Scammers lure consumers with low prices or free merchandise. They may impersonate a person or company you know. Although methods change, the goal usually is the same: to steal your money, financial information or personal data to commit fraud or identity theft.
Money lost in a scam increases with age: Median losses are $1,000 for people ages 70-79 and $1,650 for those 80-plus, according to data from the Federal Trade Commission. Overall, Minnesotans reported $144.6 million in fraud losses last year.
Fraudsters often target older adults because they may have more money to lose, such as more equity in their home, retirement accounts or Social Security payments, said Parker Maertz, manager of the consumer action division of the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office. And loneliness and isolation may mean older adults have fewer peers with whom to discuss scam risks, he said.
