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With June just around the corner and Father’s day approaching fast, people are on the lookout for the perfect gift for their beloved dads. Brands are offering Father’s Day deals and social media is inundated with advertisements promoting everything from novelty gifts to luxury products.
Sadly, many of these ads are run by scammers who are hard at work trying to get the attention of shoppers. Facebook and Instagram have become a hotbed for scam ads as there is virtually no advertiser verification. We spotted some Father’s Day scam ads currently running on Facebook and Instagram that you need to beware of.
While not every Father’s Day ad is a scam, you should know that you are likely to receive disappointing copies or nothing at all if you buy from dubious sites running these ads. What’s worse is that the gift is likely to arrive long after Father’s Day has passed as packages can take more than a month to be delivered from China.
Rustic hand saws with designs carved out of metal are a popular scam item on Facebook. The original saw art pieces are intricate and painstakingly created by ‘Saw Lady’ Cindy Chinn. We have written about this scam previously in our article ‘Chinese Scammer Reveals His Secrets’. Images of Cindy’s creations are used for promotions on social media and customers instead receive poor imitations such as the one pictured below.
A plaque that can be hung on a wall or kept on display on a shelf is a great gift for dads as it is a constant reminder of their children’s love for them. However, watch out when buying from unknown websites promoting Father’s Day plaques as you might get duped.
Viking-themed plaques also seem to be popular with scam advertisers on Facebook and Instagram.
Some of these plaques can be personalized while some cannot. In either case, the result is bound to be the same. You either receive an ugly copy of the advertised item or the site disappears and you never hear from them again.
There are numerous scammy ads for personalized mugs and flasks running right now on Facebook. While these do make for a practical Father’s Day gift, the items you receive from scammy sites will make you wish to forget the whole unpleasant experience instead of being a memorable gift for your dad.
Several ads are active right now promoting wrist watches using the same image with badly-Photoshopped greeting cards. A gift such as this can hold enormous sentimental value and last for generations. What is pictured here is probably a cheaply-made Chinese watch that probably won’t survive till the next Father’s Day. The edited image of the greeting card also suggests that these may ship with a poorly-printed card or none at all.
Woodworking tools are very popular as Father’s Day Gifts due to the love that many men have for carpentry. They make useful additions to any man’s arsenal which makes tools such as chainsaw sharpeners thoughtful gifts for Father’s Day. Buy from reputed sites instead of unknown sites promoted on Facebook to avoid carving a frown on your dad’s face.
This seemed like an odd one at first but whose dad doesn’t love some r&r? Hammocks are perfect for relaxing on a peaceful afternoon and scammers agree that they make great gifts for Father’s Day, as evidenced by the multiple ads promoting ‘multi-person hammocks’.
However, scammers will leave you hanging if you’re not careful. Purchasing hammocks from unknown sites advertising them at low prices is a surefire way to waste your money and be left without a gift for your dad.
This was just a small glimpse of the hundreds of ads being run on Facebook and Instagram with the sole intent of robbing people who are trying to find a gift that their father will cherish. Just being slightly vigilant and mindful can prevent you from having a disheartening experience. If you are not sure how to avoid the barrage of fake Father’s Day ads, read the below articles and always remember to Check ScamAdviser Before You Buy.
