Beware of Ads on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest that claim to offer 90% off on JOANN. It’s a scam. The fabric and craft brand ‘JOANN’ is being impersonated by scammers who claim the business is shutting down.
The fake Ads use enticing phrases like ‘Due to some financial reasons, we have decided to sell most of our yarn and sewing machines at unbeatable prices‘ ‘Limited Time Offer: Unbeatable Prices on Jo-Ann Sewing Machines!’ etc. The websites connected to the Ads is not the legit JOANN website ‘joann.com’ but a spoofed look-alike.
Here’s a detailed article on how the scam works and how to stay protected.
How The JOANN Store Closing Clearance Scam Works
The scam falls into the category of brand impersonation scam. JOANN’s logo, product inventories, and website design are used to make the fake clearance sale websites look authentic. After orders are placed, the fake Lucy and Yak websites either send fake tracking info or nothing at all. No items are delivered, and all efforts to speak with the customer support are futile.
Aside from not receiving the items paid for, victims of this scam could be affected by the following frauds;
- unauthorized charges on credit cards
- Automatic VIP membership subscription – Victims get charged a monthly subscription fee for unwanted items such as online health magazines etc.
- Malware infestation on customer’s device after visiting the fake website, which could lead to data exploitation, ransomware, e.t.c
Websites Involved In This Scam;
During our investigations, we discovered the following fraudulent websites pretending to offer JOANN Clearance Sales;
gierata.shop, roundab.shop, joann-outlet.com, joannoutlet.com, joannusoutlet.com, joannst.com, joanntm.com, joannofficial.com, e.t.c
The websites are all recently registered, lack reputation, have no legal pages or active customer support, and might have some sort of malware running in the background. When you make payment on the fake websites, it goes to a scam Hong Kong based company ‘Honest Concept Tdg Ltd‘.
#SIDE NOTE: Have you come across a fake JOANN website not mentioned in this post? Please let us know in the comment section!
What To Do If You Fell For The JOANN Outlet Scam Sale Online
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 on the site would become null and void.
Request for a new card
After the old credit card has been cancelled, 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:
- 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 Spot Fake Clearance Sales
Check the Company’s Social Media Accounts & Official Websites
The first step you should take is finding out if the giveaway has been posted on the company’s social media accounts. If it hasn’t, the giveaway is likely a scam.
Check For Grammatical and Spelling Mistakes
Scan the clearance post. Do you notice bad grammar, missing words, or spelling mistakes? These are red flags for a scam. Any company can make a minor mistake when typing out a win notification. However, multiple or glaring errors are a bad sign.
Check Website Registration Age
How old is the website? The domain age of a website tells a lot about a store’s legitimacy or transparency. Websites below 6 months old are often considered unsafe. You can find out a website’s age by checking on Who.is ( a free domain checker tool)
Find Out If The Website Used Has SSL Encryption
find out if the website is secured with SSL encryption. (https and padlock symbols). If the padlock symbol doesn’t appear near the website’s URL, then it means your personal and financial information is at risk at the store.
Search for Reviews Online
Are there reviews or posts about the clearance sale online? It’s common for various news outlet to carry information about legit discount sales. By searching for reviews online you could also come across warning posts or complaints.
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Nora