Top Father's Day Facebook Scams of 2022
Author: James Greening
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.
1. Saw Art
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.
2. Father’s Day Plaques
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.
3. Personalised Mugs and Flasks
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.
4. Wrist Watches
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.
5. Carpentry Tools
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.
6. Hammocks
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.
Report a Scam!
Have you fallen for a hoax, bought a fake product? Report the site and warn others!
Scam Categories
Help & Info
Popular Stories
As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam. Common Sense: Too Good To Be True When looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact. If an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website. Check Out the Social Media Links Social media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu
So the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!! If you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking. If you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used. PayPal Debit card/Credit card Bank transfer Wire transfer Google Pay Bitcoin PayPal If you used PayPal, you have a strong chance of getting your money back if you were scammed. On their website, you can file a dispute within 180 calendar days of your purchase. Conditions to file a dispute: The simplest situation is that you ordered from an online store and it has not arrived. In this case this is what PayPal states: "If your order never shows up and the seller can't provide proof of shipment or delivery, you'll get a full refund. It's that simple." The scammer has sent you a completely different item. For example, you ordered a PlayStation 4, but instead received only a Playstation controller. The condition of the item was misrepresented on the product page. This could be the
