Surprise! Toy scams cheat parents

BBB serving Central Virginia is alerting consumers that every year there’s always one “must-have” toy on most kids’ holiday wish list. The toy sells out fast and therefore becomes expensive and hard to find. This year’s hot pick is the L.O.L. Surprise! dolls and dollhouse. Scammers are using the toy’s popularity to scam parents out of their money.

How the Scam Works

You are looking for L.O.L. Surprise! toys, but they are sold out at every store you visit. So you look 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.” BBB Scam Tracker has recently seen an upswing in reports of L.O.L. Surprise! toy scams. Consumers report paying for the product, but never receiving it.

One consumer wrote, “I ordered an LOL Bigger Surprise on a website and paid online. I received an email with no tracking number for the order, tried to find a number to call them, but there was no number. I tried to reply to the email receipt and was informed the email did not go through. Now the website doesn’t exist when you click on it!”

Tips to Avoid Toy Scams

• Only buy toys from reputable stores and websites.
• Don’t be fooled by extra-low prices. Unreasonably low prices are a red flag for a scam on many products. Avoid making a purchase from a retailer you aren’t familiar with just because the price sounds too good to be true – it probably is!
• Research before you buy. If a company seems legitimate but you aren’t familiar with it, be extra careful with your personal information. Before offering up your name, address, and credit card information, make sure the company has a working customer service number.

For More Information

See BBB.org/ShoppingOnline for more online shopping tips. For more about avoiding scams this holiday season, check out BBB.org/Holiday-Tips.

If you’ve spot a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to BBB Scam Tracker. Your report can help others avoid falling victim.

If you see a questionable ad, report it to BBB AdTruth so we can investigate.

About BBB serving Central Virginia

Provides service to Richmond, the Tri-Cities, Charlottesville, and Fredericksburg, as well as 42 surrounding counties from Fauquier to Mecklenburg and Northumberland to Amherst. The nonprofit organization was established in 1954 to advance responsible, honest, and ethical business practices and to promote consumer confidence through self-regulation of business.