Costco recently updated their list of 22 “currently known scams” to alert shoppers about a new issue that could take a toll on their bank account if they’re not careful. If you’re a member of this wholesale store, you should be aware of the fact that a fraudulent website, which looks shockingly similar to Costco’s, is taking advantage of unsuspecting consumers.
This scam is easy to fall for if you’re not careful: the website successfully mimic’s Costco’s official marketplace site, complete with an identical logo. However, upon visiting the webpage, your browser will give you a warning that the scam site is not secure.
Here's how the scheme works: once customers believe they're on the Costco website, they will buy items to be delivered to their home. However, the items will never come, so they will be scammed out of a possibly large sum of money. Additionally, the fraudulent website may also gain access to their credit card information, passwords, full name, address, and more. Yikes!
To stay vigilant against these potential scams, you should keep an eye out for the warning signs, such as grammatical errors, a different URL (Costco's official website is Costco.com), a non-U.S. time zone, and suspicious-looking emails that aren't connected to Costco.
Other schemes Costco warns of on their website include fraudulent giveaways, Facebook posts, and a plethora of scam surveys and texts. "These offers are not from Costco Wholesale," their website reads. "You should not visit any links provided in messages such as these, and you should not provide the sender any personal information."
When in doubt, you should take everything you see on the internet with a grain of salt. If something seems even the slightest bit fishy, it's best to stay on the safe side. And remember: next time you think you're shopping online at Costco, make sure you double check the URL!
