Tiktok Shark Blanket Scam 2023: Fake Stores Selling Wearable Blankets! Beware!
Beware of stores on TikTok claiming to sell wearable Shark Blanket, majority of the stores are fake. When you make payment, the store sends a fake tracking details but fails to deliver the item or grant a refund. Instead of receiving your purchase, you end up losing your money.
At the moment, thousands of people have reported being scammed by fake Shark Blanket stores on Tiktok.
What Is The Shark Blanket?
The Shark Blanket is a snuggy type of blanket that is worn as a hoodie, onesie or sleeping bag. It’s a cute cartoon shark shape made with shrink-resistant fabric. Aside from being soft fuzzy blanket, it feels nice against the skin. It is Machine washable in gentle cycle, tumble dry on low heat, shrink resistant and not pilling. The price for it range between $35 – $49.
How Does The Shark Blanket Tiktok Scam Work?
The TikTok shark blanket scam uses cute videos of people wearing Shark Blankets to lure customers into placing an order. However, after receiving payment, the scam stores fail to send the item ordered. They rather send fake tracking details or nothing at all.
When customers try to reach the stores, the customer support totally ignores their email. Later, these customers find out the website has been shut down or is temporarily closed. So far, the following websites have been reported as scam shark blanket stores;
- sharkblankieshop
- sharkzie blanket
- thesharkblanket
- thesharkblankie
- sharkblankieco
And so many orders. The fake stores were created by scammers to lure potential victims with ridiculously low prices. Anyone who orders from these fake stores will have their personal and credit card information stolen. They’d also receive a debit alert, but never get the items paid for.
Where To Buy Shark Blankets?
If you’re looking for a legit place to buy shark blankets, Amazon is your best bet. Amazon, a global retail store has hundreds of Shark Blanket sellers who’re verified and have real customer reviews. When you shop from Amazon, there’s a guarantee that you will get good quality for your money, and even get a refund if you’re not satisfied with your purchase. Below is the top Shark Blanket seller on Amazon
How To know if it is a Store is Legit or Scam?
Too Good To Be True Prices
This is the biggest tip-off that a retail website is a scam. If the price is so low that you’re already having doubts, it is clearly a scam. Discount on all merchandize is one of the warning signs you shouldn’t ignore. Like, Don’t!-
No Business Address
No mention of the store’s physical location anywhere on the website? Looks suspicious but not surprising. Fraudulent stores and anonymity go hand in hand. Meanwhile, even if the store has mentioned a physical address, you should verify if it’s real. How? Simply copy the address and paste it in your browser. Most times, the address is that of a family home, or it doesn’t even exist.
Poor Customer Support
The website does not provide an email or phone number? Bro, you need to take a walk. This doesn’t look good. It really doesn’t!
Low Trust Score
What is the website’s trust score on Scam Detector? Is it 1%? Bro, your heels should be behind you now. How old is the website? Below a year? Damn! run fassterrrr!
Fake Social Media Icons
So there are are Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and even YouTube buttons on the website, but wait…… do these icons direct you to the website’s social media pages? It doesn’t?
Laughs in baritone! It is about to go down now.
Easy Steps To Protect Yourself From Online Shopping Scam This 2023
According to FTC, online shopping fraud is the most reported fraud category of 2023. Below are steps to take in order to stay safe and avoid this kind of scam;
Check the Domain age – How old is the website? (You can do so by visiting who.is)
Website Security Check – Look out for the SSL encryption security symbol. (https and padlock symbols).
Find Out Its Physical Location – Does The website provide return address? If Yes (Copy the address and paste on your browser. Google map would show if it is a real warehouse address or a residential address)
Check For Reviews – Are there customer reviews online? It’s better to patronize stores that has reviews available online.
Find Out If It Has Social Media Presence – Do the social media icons work? (A lot of fraudulent websites provide social media buttons but they don’t work.
Beware of the returns and refund policy before purchasing – If the policy isn’t available or if it isn’t favorable to customers, you should quit shopping.
Use secure methods of payment that protect the buyer – payments portals like PayPal make it easy to get your money back.