SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – As if the shortage of baby formula isn't bad enough, the crisis has led to a wave of scammers trying to take advantage of the situation.
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The Federal Trade Commission is now warning consumers to be on the lookout for scammers popping up online, preying on parents and caregivers looking for formula.
According to Alma Galvan with the Better Business Bureau, in many cases, it isn't the rock bottom price tag that scammers often use to attract their mark online.
"It's more so the need and that they are going to get within a couple of days," she said.
Consumers concerned about possibly being scammed should first check the address of the company that's selling the formula, if the offer seems a little too good to be true.
"A lot of times what we've been seeing are addresses that are actual parking lots or post office boxes that belong to UPS," she said.
People should also always make sure the website they're buying from is verified, and for purchasing, use a credit card.
"If you look to the left-hand side, and domain that is basically selling information or selling a product has to be secure," she said. "So if there's a lock and it's HTTPS, and they're locked together, are telling the consumer you can be sure what you're purchasing on this website is a secure transaction and your information will not be sold to a third party."
Those who do wind up falling victim to a scam should make sure to report it.
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