Yes, it IS too good to be true. There has been a recent increase in suspicious-looking retailer websites that are offering great deals on car seats and gear. Graco and Britax seem to be popular targets with the fake deals, but this also applies to other brands.
The websites may look legitimate enough on the surface, with photos and logos appearing like real car seat companies, but there are a few red flags you can easily spot:
- Check the “About”, “Contact” or “Return” pages. Do they clearly show a USA or Canada shipping address? Scammers usually only have a contact form, if that. If there’s no way to track them down, there’s also no way to return a product or file a complaint!
- Do they publish an email address and phone number, preferably a toll free number or one with a local area code if it’s a brick and mortar store? If you can even find one, call it just to check and ask a few questions, like their return policy and if they are an authorized retailer for the brand you want to buy. If you get a bad vibe, don’t risk it!
- Check the links to their social media pages. Do they work? Do they match the store name? Have they been around a while? Is their facebook page updated regularly and do they have at least 1000 followers and legitimate comments or Q&A there? Scammers may have a dozen short, 5-star fake reviews, but that’s usually all.
- Look at the address bar in your browser. A legitimate website will almost always start with https:// (click in the address bar if you don’t see either https:// or http://). If a website wants to be found on Google now, this having this security feature is a must. Some sites, however, won’t be secure until you start the ordering process. You may also see a padlock 🔒in your address bar showing that the site is secure.
- Google search the store name. Can you find any reasonable comments that it’s a real company, even if it’s a smaller store with a brick and mortar location? If it’s a local baby store, you should also find Yelp and other comments about them.
- Are the deals similar to the current prices at Amazon, Target, Walmart, BuyBuyBaby, Albee Baby and other legitimate retailers? If you have never heard of the store and ALL their prices are way below ALL the other stores where you usually shop, then it’s probably too good to be true!
OUR ADVICE: If you are still in doubt, the easiest way to check is to call the customer service number of the manufacturer of the car seat to ask them if it is an authorized retailer in your country. If you find their official product webpage, they usually have a locator for authorized distributors and retailers. You can also ask us on our facebook page or facebook group. We will be able to steer you to deals at proven retailers like on our Car Seats Deals Tracker.
When in doubt, DO NOT download anything from suspicious looking websites and DO NOT submit any personal information!
Here’s an example of an alleged FAKE. The URL and store name alone should be red flags enough, but this website happened to fail just about every question above. Have an issue? Don’t count on being able to contact them. And don’t be fooled by their presumably unauthorized use of a manufacturer’s logo!
Now here’s a REAL contact page below from our friends at Kids ‘N Cribs, a legitimate online baby store with retail locations in California. They have a contact number, address, a 4.5 star Yelp rating with 30 reviews and a facebook page with recent updates and over 4000 followers. They are authorized retailers for about 100 brands, including Britax, Chicco, Clek, Diono, Graco, Max-Cosi, Nuna, Peg Perego, UPPAbaby and many more.
Please feel free to leave us a comment here or on our facebook page, especially if you have seen a fake store with unbelievably good deals!
I just got scammed on odosd.com I was trying to buy a replacement piece and just thought they were being really good offering them cheap. 2 hours later and my credit card has been used in 7 transactions.
I almost purchased an item from usabritax.com but decided to look around a bit more. Luckily, I came across us.britax.com. I also saw the odosd.com, clicked on it, it looked exactly like the usabritax.com.
I just got scamed.the website i used is deleted and all.i cant get my money back i should of known it was too good to be true
It’s really hard when you need a carseat and see a price that you want to pay in your heart. 🙁 I’m sorry.
https://maxxcosi dot com/pl/
Is this website a scam because the deal is to good to be true need help before I even spend money
Hi Lucy, I don’t see a company name, address, phone or legitimate social media pages. Only one odd email address. Very suspicious, buy at your own risk.
i was browsing on Facebook marketplace for a child carseat.then an ad showed up that sell new car seats with a cheaper price i picked up the one i like and i paid them though PayPal $80.i didn’t receive any confirmation email from them. 2 day later on June 26th PayPal emailed me the your item was delivered. i contacted the carrier which was USPS. they told me that the package was delivered to a business address on my same zip code 77084. and it weighed 8 ounces only. the carseat is about 10 lb not 8 ounces. i contacted the seller they don’t answer i contacted PayPal they’re doing investigation. the website is: https://maxxcosi.com/pl/.
I think I got scammed with StrollRus. Still waiting for replies don’t know what to do😒 used my last to get the closest looking stroller my daughter wanted..
http://renoluxco dot com/hu/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=24&products_id=727
This was a Facebook ad. Has anyone had any experience with this site?
I didn’t click on the link, but instead typed in the main URL and it’s Chinese. There weren’t any carseats on the site and the pics of the items were distorted. I’m firmly in the scam camp for this one.
BUYER BEWARE!!! I ordered from a website called Huifaok dot com even though I knew in my gut it was a bad idea. Yes, I got burned! I ordered an item on May 23rd, 2020. I received a confirmation of my order and then another email with my order tracking number. This was evidently an old or previously used number. When I checked on it….it showed being sent from Denver, CO on May 10th, 2020 and delivered to my home address on May 15th, 2020. How is that even possible? Are they psychic? LOL! Please do not waste your hard earned money on this site. You will just be throwing it into the wind. Shame on them.
May 25 , 2020
Is this website a scam? I can’t tell at all. The only thing that doesn’t make sense is the price. It’s way lower than other prices from other sites
Hard to say. Not a lot of information there. Maybe the company is legit but they are importing gray market international goods? It says they are based in Hong Kong. Worth calling the company or Graco to see if you can learn more.
I’m guessing this one is to good to be true?
Is strollersca dot com a legitimate website?
Hi Silvi, we are not in a position to determine the legitimacy of sites like these. Could it be legit? Maybe. Are you willing to risk losing your money if it isn’t? You are better off ordering from a site with a good reputation and customer service that you can call if you have any questions.
Anyone know about this site?
https://www.seatfy dot com/product-tag/nuna
I looked around their website and there were too many red flags. I wouldn’t give them any of my money.
Please make sure everyone knows Strollisa is a scam!!!!! I placed a order, it was accepted, paid for. Even got a confirmation email. Low n behold, nit the website is unavailable for mw to contact them about my order. Money lost, thats fine. But i nees someone somewhere to take action against these people for what they are doing. Sooner than later, noone will order anything off line for fear of being scammed.
Vip/cooldonet dot com or cooldonet dot com on fb do not buy