Fl-outlets.com Scam: Fake Foot Locker Clearance Sales! -

Fans of Foot Locker sport wears are being lured by fl-outlets.com discounts. Don’t be tricked! It’s not a real offer. fl-outlets.com is a fake and malicious website that scam customers by taking their money and failing to deliver the ordered product.

To untrained eyes, Fl-outlets.com appears legit, but in reality it has lots of red flags hidden from buyers.

I’ll be writing a short article exposing fl-outlets com red flags and what really happens when you place an order on the website.

fl-outlets.com Red Flags Hidden From Customers

Not The Official Foot Locker Outlet

fl-outlets.com is pretending to an original Foot Locker Outlet store on social media, especially on Facebook Shorts. The Ads uses Foot Locker’s logo and products to lure unsuspecting buyers. However, a close look at the pages show they were recently created and they’re not the official Foot Locker social media pages.

Ridiculous Low Prices

A 90% discount is actually too good to be overlooked, and this is why the scammers are using it as a bait. They know the discount is tempting. As a buyer, you need to be cautious of discounts that are way below the cost price of the items. Always remember the saying; if it is too good to be true, it certainly isn’t true.

Shares Similar Website Design with Previously Exposed Scam Stores

Isn’t it puzzling that an online store that claims to be a Foot Locker website has a different generic image on its homepage? Well, this is quite common with fraudulent online stores. This is because they run different Ads posing as various brands. In order not to expose their scam tactics, they use a generic homepage.

We’ve seen lots of this website design lately –

Recently Launched Website

Whereas fl-outlets.com gives off air as a reputable online store, it was actually launched few weeks ago. 19 January 2024. Who.is data also shows that the person who registered the website did so anonymously. This indicates that the online store wasn’t established with genuine intentions.

What Happens When You Shop From This Website?

Three different scenario takes place when you order from an online retail scam like fl-outlets.com Firstly, after placing your order you’d receive a tracking info, but wouldn’t be able to track the order. This is because the tracking details is fake.

Secondly, when you try contacting the store, there wouldn’t be any response from them even after you’ve left series of emails.

Thirdly, you’d receive an unauthorized charge on the credit card you used to purchase items off outlethubs.com. This is because the store is unsecured, and your credit card details have been compromised.

Outlethubs.com Reviews: Real or Fake?

The glowing reviews on the store’s social media posts are not real. Here’s how I discovered they were fake;

The profiles were recently created – have few pictures and posts
The reviews mentioned an older date whereas the website only started functioning few weeks ago
Direct messages sent to the profiles were not replied
Some of the profiles have been hacked, they have images of a different person

It’s not surprising. Most fraudulent ecommerce sites employ the services of fake review writers in order to create a sense of trust. Before shopping online, you should opt for trusted third party review sites like TrustPilot, BetterBusinessBureau, etc.

You can also check for warning reviews online, using any of the words; ‘reviews’ ‘scam’ ‘real or fake’ attached to the website name.

Steps To Take For Possible Refunds

The only way to get a refund from this merchant is to do the following;

Report the fraudulent transaction to your credit card issuer
request a chargeback
Include supporting documents, such as copies of a receipt, invoice, and any communications you had with the merchant.
Anticipate that the dispute can last up to 90 days or two billing cycles, whichever is shorter.

How To Protect Yourself From Charges From Outlethubs.com

When you submit your name, address, and credit card details on the scam store, your identity and financial details is at risk. In order to avoid this, update your passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and monitor your bank statement for any unusual activity.

If you detect any suspicious transaction, contact your bank and cancel your credit card or place a credit freeze on your account.

Reporting Outlethubs.com Scam To The Right Authorities

As a victim of this scam, take proactive measures of nabbing this scammers by reporting them to;

Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): If you are in the United States, you can file a complaint with the IC3 at https://www.ic3.gov/.
Your Local Consumer Protection Agency: Contact your local consumer protection agency or the equivalent regulatory body in your country.
Better Business Bureau (BBB): File a complaint with the BBB if the online store is based in the United States.

How To Avoid Online Shopping Scams

Steer clear from social media Ads offering too good to be true discount
Check online for real user reviews. You can also do this by adding ‘scam’ ‘complaints’ to the website name before searching
Avoid websites that lack SSL encryption (padlock symbol on the URL link). They are unsafe
Check the domain age of the website using a domain checker tool (Who.is). Websites below 6 months old are often considered unsafe.
Verify the website business address. you can do this by pasting the address on Google. The result would either show if it’s a warehouse, residential quarter, or if it has been flagged as scam.
If the return policy isn’t available or if it isn’t clear, you should quit shopping.

See Also; Stickgolfpro.com, Peacemane.com.