BBB Scam Alert: Scammers Taking Advantage Of Spike In Online Pool Purchases
Salt Lake City, UT — Better Business Bureau is reporting an increase in online pool sale scams. Now that summer is here, many consumers who increased their online purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic are moving to hot-weather purchases. Demand for home swimming pools rose considerably during the COVID-19 pandemic, causing retailers to struggle to keep above-ground pools in stock. Scammers have caught on, and are ready to capitalize on that spike in consumer interest.
Above-ground pools are typically more affordable than in-ground pools, last long enough for families to enjoy them for many years to come, and are relatively easy to install. It also makes for an easier opportunity for potential scammers to take advantage of the situation by creating suspicious websites.
One Salt Lake County resident, LaRue Kinder, told BBB Serving Northern Nevada and Utah how she lost $90 to a store called Intex trying to order two pools.
“This scammer is good,” Kinder said in her report to BBB Scam Tracker. After her order was placed through the online merchant, she received a USPS tracking number. Soon enough, the tracking showed the package had been delivered. Said Kinder, “Well I never received anything, and after some research I saw you can’t ship swimming pools through USPS—they don’t take packages over 70 lbs.”
Kinder put in a dispute with the merchant, sending them all the information. But, because the scammer sent a tracking number that showed “delivered,” there was nothing to be done. Scammers exploiting merchant refund and shipping policies is not new, and sometimes appeals can be made.
From Kinder’s perspective, this time “The scammer wins.”
If you’re in the market for an above ground pool, BBB recommends:
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Beware of prices that seem too good to be true. People are often lured in with prices they don’t want to pass up, but end up paying for a pool that never arrives. Or, the pool that is delivered might be different from what was expected.
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Confirm the company’s physical address. Fake addresses or no address is used on the website. If it is not possible to confirm the company’s physical address, it could be a scam.
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Pay with a credit card or another secure payment method. It’s possible that you could follow all the tips and still fall victim to a scam. Using a secure method of payment such as a credit card provides more protection and a greater chance of successfully disputing the charges.
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Check with BBB. Find trustworthy companies and pool installers at BBB.org.
Read BBB’s Tips for Hiring a Pool Contractor. Find a pool contractor near you.
If you encounter a scam, report it to BBB Scam Tracker at BBB.org/scamtracker, and learn more about common scams at BBB.org/scamtips.
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