Bedding Clearance Sale Scam Websites [Explained]

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Written by: Stelian Pilici

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Many fraudulent websites are popping up promoting alluring “Bedding Clearance Sales” with the Bed Bath & Beyond logo to scam shoppers. However, these sham sites have no actual affiliation with the Bed Bath & Beyond company. This article will expose this scam and provide tips for spotting and avoiding these deceptive clearance sale schemes targeting bedding shoppers.

What is the Bedding Clearance Sale Scam?

Numerous scam websites are pretending to sell Bed Bath & Beyond bedding at deep clearance sale discounts of 80-90% off. They use the Bed Bath & Beyond name, logos, and bedding images illegally to pose as authorized retailers liquidating inventory.

In reality, these fraudulent sites have no connection to the actual Bed Bath & Beyond brand. They are not running any real sales or clearance events. Their only goal is to bait customers with deals too good to pass up in order to steal money and personal information.

These fake bedding sites will take payment but never deliver any purchased items. In other cases, they may ship low-quality knockoffs instead of legitimate Bed Bath & Beyond bedding products advertised online. Provided credit card details are also at high risk of fraud.

How the Bedding Clearance Sale Websites Operate

While convincing at first glance, a closer look reveals how fraudulent these bedding clearance sale sites truly are:

  • Domain names containing “Bed Bath & Beyond” but with slightly altered URLs
  • No business registration details, physical addresses, or working customer service numbers
  • Strange phrasing in product listings, grammatical errors
  • Fake customer reviews and testimonials
  • Non-functioning social media links
  • Limited payment options with no buyer protections

The scam sites are intentionally designed to quickly catch the eye of deal-seeking bedding shoppers browsing online. But anyone tricked into ordering from these fake outlets will, unfortunately, end up scammed rather than scoring an amazing clearance find.

How to Detect and Avoid the Fake Sites

Thankfully, there are several warning signs you can watch for to identify and steer clear of these fraudulent bedding clearance sale websites:

  • Verify site domain matches the real BedBathandBeyond.com exactly
  • Search the site name with words like “scam” or “review” to find warnings
  • Check for a valid contact page with the company address and customer service info
  • Compare advertised prices against Bed Bath & Beyond’s current prices – if too low it is likely a scam
  • Look for poorly written product descriptions, typos, grammatical errors
  • Ensure social media links actually work and match the website content
  • Only shop sites using secure checkout protocols like “https” and SSL
  • Avoid sites only accepting payments through bank transfer, gift card, or crypto
  • Use a credit card when shopping online to enable purchase protection

What to Do if You Are Scammed by a Fake Site

If you placed an order through one of these sham websites posing as Bed Bath & Beyond bedding clearance sales and never received your items or had your payment stolen, take these steps:

  • Immediately contact your credit card provider or bank to report fraudulent charges
  • Closely monitor accounts for any suspicious activity from the scam site
  • File a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov
  • Leave reviews about your experience to warn other shoppers
  • Contact the real Bed Bath & Beyond to notify them of the website improperly using their brand
  • Report the website to the FTC to potentially get it taken down

Conclusion

When seeking out clearance bedding deals online, take time to thoroughly vet retailer legitimacy before providing payment information. Only order from secure sites you can confirm are authorized Bed Bath & Beyond partners to avoid these bedding clearance sale scams. Check site credentials, contact info, prices, and trust your instinct if an offer seems too good to be true. Carefully protecting your data and only shopping trusted brands’ sites directly can help you score deals safely.

How to Stay Safe Online

Here are 10 basic security tips to help you avoid malware and protect your device:

  1. Use a good antivirus and keep it up-to-date.

    Shield Guide

    It's essential to use a good quality antivirus and keep it up-to-date to stay ahead of the latest cyber threats. We are huge fans of Malwarebytes Premium and use it on all of our devices, including Windows and Mac computers as well as our mobile devices. Malwarebytes sits beside your traditional antivirus, filling in any gaps in its defenses, and providing extra protection against sneakier security threats.

  2. Keep software and operating systems up-to-date.

    updates-guide

    Keep your operating system and apps up to date. Whenever an update is released for your device, download and install it right away. These updates often include security fixes, vulnerability patches, and other necessary maintenance.

  3. Be careful when installing programs and apps.

    install guide

    Pay close attention to installation screens and license agreements when installing software. Custom or advanced installation options will often disclose any third-party software that is also being installed. Take great care in every stage of the process and make sure you know what it is you're agreeing to before you click "Next."

  4. Install an ad blocker.

    Ad Blocker

    Use a browser-based content blocker, like AdGuard. Content blockers help stop malicious ads, Trojans, phishing, and other undesirable content that an antivirus product alone may not stop.

  5. Be careful what you download.

    Trojan Horse

    A top goal of cybercriminals is to trick you into downloading malware—programs or apps that carry malware or try to steal information. This malware can be disguised as an app: anything from a popular game to something that checks traffic or the weather.

  6. Be alert for people trying to trick you.

    warning sign

    Whether it's your email, phone, messenger, or other applications, always be alert and on guard for someone trying to trick you into clicking on links or replying to messages. Remember that it's easy to spoof phone numbers, so a familiar name or number doesn't make messages more trustworthy.

  7. Back up your data.

    backup sign

    Back up your data frequently and check that your backup data can be restored. You can do this manually on an external HDD/USB stick, or automatically using backup software. This is also the best way to counter ransomware. Never connect the backup drive to a computer if you suspect that the computer is infected with malware.

  8. Choose strong passwords.

    lock sign

    Use strong and unique passwords for each of your accounts. Avoid using personal information or easily guessable words in your passwords. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts whenever possible.

  9. Be careful where you click.

    cursor sign

    Be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. These could potentially contain malware or phishing scams.

  10. Don't use pirated software.

    Shady Guide

    Avoid using Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file-sharing programs, keygens, cracks, and other pirated software that can often compromise your data, privacy, or both.

To avoid potential dangers on the internet, it's important to follow these 10 basic safety rules. By doing so, you can protect yourself from many of the unpleasant surprises that can arise when using the web.

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