Tricky websites claim to offer discounted prices on Stanley cups and tumblers in a scam reported to BBB Scam Tracker repeatedly in recent weeks. Here’s how to spot the scam so you don’t lose money or personal information to con artists.
How this scam works
You see an ad for Stanley travel cups on social media or after an online search. It appears to be from the official Stanley company or a popular sporting goods store. According to an ad, the store is running a flash sale with great prices on the cups – some are discounted to half the original price or more.
Enticed by a good deal, you click on the link. When you do, you’re redirected to a website where you can purchase. It looks like a legitimate site, so you enter your payment information and are charged for the item.
However, soon after ordering, you’ll notice some red flags. Some buyers reported never receiving a confirmation email and being unable to contact the company. Others received shipping information, but their product was never delivered. Several victims reported getting confirmation that their product had been delivered to Alaska, which is not where they reside.
Here’s one consumer’s firsthand experience: “There was an advertisement for Stanley travel cups for Mother’s Day through Dick’s Sporting Goods. I clicked the ad and was taken to the ‘Stanley’ website, where I ordered and entered my credit card info. I received an order confirmation notice and tracking information from the seller. However, my travel cups were apparently ‘delivered’ in a completely different state, almost 800 miles from my location! The items were delivered the day after a ‘Missing Mail Search Request’ was initiated, but it wasn’t initiated or requested by me. I have tried to contact both the shipping company and the seller through their website but have not gotten any response.”
If you purchase through a shady website, your personal information and the money you spend will be gone for good. The Stanley cup you ordered never even existed.