Don’t be fooled by the Bloomingdale’s scam ads on Facebook that lead to the site bloomingdales-sales.shop. The site falsely advertises brands like Nordstrom Rack and Louis Vuitton handbags but it’s not legit and has nothing to do with the real Bloomgindale website.
About bloomingdales-sales.shop
The scammers behind this fake website are trying to trick people into thinking it’s the real Bloomingdale’s store. They copied the design of the Nordstrom website, which doesn’t even look like Bloomingdale’s, and filled it with stolen photos of handbags and purses. At the bottom of the page, they’ve added random ads featuring Brad Pitt and Penelope Cruz. They slapped the Nordstrom logo on the site, but it has nothing to do with Nordstrom. On the “About Us” page, there are WhatsApp reviews and messages that are covered in Chinese characters.
Key Points About the Bloomingdale’s Scam
Scammers’ Locations
The scam was carried out by individuals likely based in China and possibly Ghana in August 2024.
Fake Website
The scammers created a fake website, bloomingdales-sales.shop, pretending to be Bloomingdale’s. The site falsely mentioned brands like Nordstrom Rack and Louis Vuitton.
Domain Registration
A WHOIS search showed that the fake website was registered through a China-based domain registrar.
Official Website
The real Bloomingdale’s website is simply bloomingdales.com, not the scam version.
Different Email Addesss
The email address on their official website is listed as [email protected]. The mailing address is somewhere in Hangzhou China.
What Happens When You Order from bloomingdales-sales.shop
When you order from this online store, you’d likely receive items that are below par, of poor quality, wrong size, texture or design. This is because bloomingdales-sales.shop are not the original designers of the handbags and purses displayed on their website. The owner(s) of this store steals off images from reputable designers, like Nordstorm and pass them off as theirs, and then make a cheap imitation.
Aside from receiving poor quality handbags, customers could get overcharged, receive nothing at all, or even get added to a shady VIP membership subscription.
How To Spot Suspicous Websites
Check the Website Address
Look out for strange website names. Be wary of .net or .org sites and use a domain checker to see when it was made.
Watch Out for Too Good Deals
Super low prices are often a red flag. Be cautious with pushy sales tactics. Like 90% off, 50% off, clearance sales, these are words used by scammers to lure buyers into making purchase on their website.
Look for Contact Info
Legit sites will have clear contact details such as email, phone number etc. Be wary of sites with only a contact form or no contact form at all.
Read Online Reviews
Check reviews on trusted sites. Look at the company’s social media for reviews. If you find none, be very skeptical about shopping from the website.
What To Do If You Got Scammed
Cancel your credit card
Immediately call your financial provider and cancel your credit card. By so doing, the credit card details you used for your transaction would become null and void.
Request for a new card
After the old credit card has been canceled, ask for a new card, it doesn’t cost much to get one. Your credit card issuer will issue you a new one with different numbers.
Report the Fraud To Relevant Authorities
Report the scam to relevant authorities and organizations. This includes:
Better Business Bureau (BBB): File a complaint with the BBB if the online store is based in the United States.
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/.
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Samantha