Beware Of “Clearance Sale: All Items 90% Off!” Facebook Scam

If you’ve been scrolling Facebook lately, you may have seen tempting ads proclaiming eye-popping deals like “Clearance Sale: All Items 90% Off!” At first glance, the prospect of getting luxury goods and brand-name items for a tiny fraction of retail pricing seems irresistible. But behind the facade lies an elaborate scam designed to trick social media users out of their hard-earned money.

This comprehensive guide will uncover how this brazen scam works, techniques used to ensnare victims, and most importantly – how to avoid getting ripped off by these clearance sale scammers exploiting Facebook users’ desires for unbelievable deals.

“Clearance Sale: All Items 90% Off!” Facebook Scam Overview

The Facebook “Clearance Sale: All Items 90% Off!” scam employs deceptive ads and convincing fake shopping websites to lure victims into purchasing deeply discounted items that never get delivered. Scammers set up online stores offering hot ticket products like iPhones, Rolex watches, and Yeezy shoes for 90% off retail prices.

Once victims place orders, the websites vanish and no items ever arrive. Or in some cases, victims receive cheap counterfeit knockoffs instead of the advertised products. The scam banks on the believability of the false ads and FOMO urgency to snag bargain deals before critical evaluation.

Some common traits that expose these “Clearance Sale: All Items 90% Off!” Facebook offers as scams:

• Domains registered very recently specifically to execute this fraud
• No indication of a real-world business location or operations
• Limited purchase windows with countdown timers and “Going fast!” messages
• Suspiciously deep discounts like $100 E-Bikes and $50 HOKA shoes
• Out-of-business or liquidation sales pitches in ads
• Email only customer service with no phone contact

With no legitimate online presence or physical presence, these scammers essentially vanish into thin air after collecting payments. The temporary sites and ads are quickly deactivated making recovery of lost funds nearly impossible for victims.

How the “Clearance Sale: All Items 90% Off!” Scam Works

The “Clearance Sale: All Items 90% Off!” Facebook scam begins with enticing ads in your feed promoting liquidation or going out of business sales with once-in-a-lifetime discounts. They announce jaw-dropping deals like 90% or even 95% off all items to spark interest and urgency.

When you click through to the website, you’ll notice telltale signs of a scam if you look closely. The domain name was likely registered in the last few months solely for this fraudulent sale. Brand names may be misspelled like Hokka and AirJrdan.

There is no About Us page or any indication of a real physical store location for the company. You won’t find these scammers on Instagram or Twitter – their entire presence consists of temporary ads driving people to the fake clearance websites.

The website showcases unbelievable prices on coveted items like the latest E-Bike for $200 or Air Jordans for $125. Luxury dresses, power tools, and more are all available at near-giveaway prices.

Of course, the reason for this fire sale is never convincingly explained. Limited quantity countdown timers ratchet up the pressure to add items to your cart and check out before you miss out on the deals.

Once purchases are complete, customers will find it impossible to contact the company. Emails to customer service addresses go unreturned and phone numbers don’t work or connect to disconnected lines.

At best, victims eventually receive laughably poor quality counterfeits weeks later, like plastic Apple Watch replicas. More often, the orders disappear into a black hole and nothing arrives at all. By this point, the website has vanished already making it impossible to pursue refunds.

The few who paid via credit card can request a chargeback from their provider under goods not received. But the majority lose their money for good with no avenue for recompense from scammers who provided no legitimate contact information in the first place.

How to Spot This Scam

Fraudulent shopping websites often share common patterns that make them easier to detect once you know what to look for. Before entering personal information or making a payment, take a few minutes to check for these warning signs:

1. Unrealistic prices and discounts
   If a website offers products at prices far below trusted retailers, it’s often a red flag. Many of these sites advertise luxury or high-demand products at massive discounts to create a sense of urgency. A $300 product listed for $49.99 should immediately raise suspicion.
2. Recently registered or suspicious domain names
   Many fraudulent websites operate on newly created domains that disappear after a few weeks. Look for signs like random characters in the URL, misspellings of well-known brands, or hyphenated domains.
   You can check a site’s age using tools like WHOIS lookups or ScamAdviser.
3. Missing or vague company details
   Legitimate businesses clearly display their company name, tax information, phone numbers, physical address, and return policies. Fraudulent sites often provide incomplete, fake, or no company details at all. A lack of verifiable contact information is a major warning sign.
4. No reliable customer service
   Real businesses provide clear ways to contact support—email, phone, live chat, or physical return addresses. Fake stores often list nonfunctional contact forms, invalid phone numbers, or reply with generic automated messages.
5. Poor website quality and structure
   Many fake stores are set up quickly with low-effort templates. Look for poor grammar, spelling errors, low-resolution product images, broken links, or missing legal pages (Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, Return Policy). A sloppy website often signals something isn’t right.
6. Copied product descriptions and images
   Fraudulent sites often lift product listings directly from real retailers or marketplaces. If you reverse image search a product photo and find it on multiple unrelated websites, the listing is likely not original.
7. Lack of credible reviews or suspicious review patterns
   A real store will usually have a mix of customer reviews across different platforms. Warning signs include no reviews at all, obviously fake five-star reviews, or multiple identical reviews posted on the same day. Searching “[website name] reviews” or “[website name] scam” on Google often reveals warnings from other consumers.
8. Unclear or unfair return and refund policies
   Fake stores often use vague language around returns and refunds—or avoid the topic entirely. If you can’t easily find clear instructions for how to return an item or get a refund, proceed with caution.
9. Aggressive urgency and pressure tactics
   Fraudulent websites commonly use fake scarcity (e.g., “Only 2 left in stock!”) or countdown timers (“Sale ends in 10 minutes!”) to push you to buy before you think it through. Legitimate stores don’t rely on fabricated urgency to make sales.

Quick Steps to Verify a Website’s Legitimacy

Before entering payment or personal details on a new shopping website, take a few simple precautions:

• Search for the store’s name along with words like “reviews” or “complaints” on Google and Trustpilot.
• Check the website’s domain registration using Whois.com.
• Use trusted tools to scan for malicious or fraudulent links:
  • Malwarebytes ScamGuard – detect scams and unsafe links before they reach you on Android and iOS phone.
  • Malwarebytes Browser Guard – block dangerous or fake websites on Windows and macOS browsers.
• Verify the business address on Google Maps to ensure it’s a legitimate location.
• Review the store’s accepted payment methods – credit cards and PayPal are traceable and safer than cryptocurrency or bank transfers.
• Trust your instincts; if something feels off, it’s better not to proceed.

How to Spot Similar Scams on Social Media

Many fraudulent shopping websites rely heavily on sponsored social media ads to draw in large numbers of potential buyers. These ads often promise extraordinary discounts—sometimes up to 90% off—and use emotionally charged language to push users into buying immediately.

They frequently appear on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, blending in with legitimate content. However, these ads follow predictable patterns that make them easier to identify once you know what to look for.

Spotting Fraudulent Facebook Ads

Facebook’s advertising platform is a favorite tool for fake online stores because of its massive reach. These ads often feature “unbelievable” offers designed to create urgency and bypass critical thinking. Warning signs include:

• Extreme, unrealistic discounts such as “90% OFF,” “Store Closing Sale,” or “Final Liquidation.” Real retailers rarely discount new products this aggressively.
• Poor grammar, awkward phrasing, or inconsistent language throughout the ad or website, indicating low-effort, mass-produced content.
• Generic stock photos or images with watermarks, suggesting the images were taken from legitimate brands or stolen from other sources.
• Recently created Facebook Pages, which is common for temporary fraudulent campaigns. Check the “Page Transparency” section to see when the page was created.
• Limited or no engagement from real customers. Authentic brands usually have reviews, comments, and visible user interaction.

If an ad raises doubts, search for reviews of the website or reverse image search the product photos to see if they’re copied from elsewhere. Never provide payment information until the site is verified.

Spotting Fraudulent Instagram Ads

Instagram is another major platform used to promote fake shopping sites through eye-catching visuals and short-lived “flash sale” captions. Warning signs to look for:

• New or disposable accounts with few posts and followers, often created just weeks or days before launching ads.
• Lack of tagged users in product posts. Legitimate stores often feature real customers, influencers, or product usage.
• Unsecured checkout pages. If the website linked in the bio does not use HTTPS, do not enter payment information.
• Fake or missing customer reviews. Fraudulent stores rarely have authentic purchase feedback.
• Unclear or restrictive return policies, often hidden or written vaguely to make refunds difficult.

When in doubt, search for independent reviews before buying, and only enter payment details on verified, secure websites.

Catching Fake TikTok Ads

TikTok is increasingly used to promote questionable shopping deals through short, persuasive videos. While many ads look polished, the same red flags apply:

• Links to unknown stores that don’t appear in search results or have no external reputation. Many of these sites are temporary and disappear after a short time.
• No verification badge on the TikTok account. While not every legitimate store is verified, the lack of a badge is one more indicator to check further.
• Aggressive countdown timers or “one-day only” promotions designed to rush decision-making.
• Lack of genuine customer reviews or real user content demonstrating the product in actual use.
• Comment sections filled with complaints or warnings from other users. This is often the first place victims speak up.

TikTok scams often rely on impulse buying. Take a moment to verify the website, read independent reviews, and use trusted browser protection before visiting external links.

What To Do If You Are A Victim

If you made a purchase or entered personal information this website, acting quickly can help you minimize financial loss, secure your accounts, and prevent further misuse of your data. Follow these steps carefully:

1. Contact your bank or payment provider immediately
   If you paid with a credit or debit card, call your bank’s customer service line and explain that you placed an order on a website that may be fraudulent. Request to dispute the transaction or initiate a chargeback.
   If you used PayPal or another payment processor, file a dispute through their resolution center and provide order confirmations, emails, or screenshots as supporting evidence.
   Fast action gives you the best chance of recovering your money and preventing additional unauthorized charges.
2. Freeze or replace your payment method
   If your card or account details were entered on this website, it’s safest to have your bank or provider issue a replacement card. This prevents future unauthorized transactions and protects your financial accounts.
   Some banks may also offer temporary holds or fraud alerts, ensuring no additional transactions can be made without your consent.
3. Run a personal data removal scan
   Fraudulent websites often collect personal information such as names, phone numbers, addresses, and emails. This data may be shared with third parties or added to marketing and phishing lists.
   A trusted service such as Malwarebytes Personal Data Remover can identify where your information is listed across data broker networks and help you request its removal.
4. Check your digital footprint
   Even if you didn’t lose money, your personal data could already be circulating online. Running a digital footprint scan can help reveal whether your email address, phone number, or other personal information is present in leaks or broker databases.
   This allows you to take proactive measures such as changing credentials, monitoring accounts, or setting up alerts before your data is misused.
5. Change your passwords and enable 2FA
   If the same email or password used during checkout is also used on other websites or services, update those credentials immediately.
   Choose strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all important accounts, especially your primary email, banking apps, and social media. This extra security layer makes unauthorized access significantly harder.
6. Scan your device for potential threats
   Many fraudulent sites contain hidden tracking scripts, phishing pop-ups, or files designed to compromise your security.
   Run a full system scan using a trusted security solution such as Malwarebytes Free or ESET Online Scanner to make sure your device hasn’t been exposed to malware or spyware during the visit.
   If any suspicious files are found, remove them and restart your device.
7. Check your accounts and statements regularly
   Monitor your bank and credit card statements closely for any unauthorized activity. Look for unfamiliar charges, subscription renewals, or repeated small test transactions.
   Also review your email inbox and online accounts for password reset notices or sign-in alerts you didn’t initiate. Report anything unusual to your bank or account provider immediately.
8. Report the incident to the appropriate authorities
   Reporting helps law enforcement track fraudulent websites and can support your claim if needed.
   • In the U.S., file a report with FTC ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
   • In the EU, contact Europol or your national cybercrime unit.
   • Globally, you can also submit the site to ScamAdviser to help warn other consumers.
     Providing the website URL, order details, and communications increases the impact of your report.
9. Save all evidence and communication
   Keep copies of order confirmations, emails, payment records, chat logs, and screenshots of the website. This documentation can be crucial for supporting your chargeback request, reporting the case, or pursuing legal remedies if needed.
   Store everything in one secure folder so you can easily provide it to your bank or relevant agencies.
10. Be cautious of follow-up contact
    After incidents like this, affected individuals may receive fake refund messages, phishing emails, or phone calls pretending to offer “assistance.”
    Do not click on unsolicited links, download attachments, or provide additional personal information. If you receive any message related to this website, verify its authenticity directly through your bank or official payment provider channels.

“Clearance Sale: All Items 90% Off!” Facebook Scam FAQ

What is the Clearance Sale 90% Off scam?

It’s a scam where fake ads and sites offer deep discounts to lure victims into buying products that never arrive.

How does the “Clearance Sale: All Items 90% Off!” scam work?

Scammers use ads to drive traffic to convincing clearance sale sites with unbelievable prices. After checkout, customers never get the items ordered.

What are some telltale signs of this scam?

Newly registered domains, no company details, countdown timers, email-only contact, unavailable phone numbers, and no social media presence.

Can I get my money back if I fell for this scam?

If you paid by credit card you can request a chargeback. File detailed complaints with agencies like the FTC and BBB.

How do these scammers advertise the fake sales?

Through enticing Facebook ads promoting liquidation and going out of business sales with extreme discounts like 90% off.

What happens after I place an order?

Most likely your items will never arrive. Some victims receive very low-quality fakes weeks later. The sites quickly disappear, preventing refunds.

Why are the prices so unbelievable?

To create urgency and trick people into buying before having time to scrutinize whether the deals could be real.

What types of products do they sell?

Hot ticket items like iPhones, Air Jordans, Gucci bags. Things with high demand that lure people in.

Can I call and speak to someone?

No, the sites only offer email contact which they don’t respond to. Any phone numbers are disconnected or invalid.

How can I avoid falling for this in the future?

Research unfamiliar sellers claiming huge discounts. Avoid wire transfers. Use credit cards with fraud protection. Identify red flags.

“Clearance Sale: All Items 90% Off!” Facebook Scam – Conclusion

The viral Clearance Sale 90% Off scam on Facebook serves as a clever deception that plays to people’s desire to save and capitalizes on limited purchase windows. But with knowledge of their deceptive tactics, these scammers can be spotted and avoided.

Learning to identify the warning signs like unbelievable prices and brand new domains is crucial. Always exercise caution when attractive deals from unfamiliar sellers appear in your social media feeds. Resist the pressure to impulse buy and take time to verify legitimacy. An ounce of prevention can save you from losing cash to clearance sale scammers.