Carter’s is one of the largest and most popular brands for children’s apparel and baby products. However, a deceptive scam has emerged involving fraudulent ads promoting fake Carter’s warehouse sales and tricking parents into purchasing from scam websites. This comprehensive guide will uncover everything consumers need to know about identifying and avoiding this Carter’s Warehouse Sale scam.
Overview of the Carter’s Warehouse Sale Scam
This scam operates by running Facebook ads and other digital promotions that lure in customers with claims like “Carter’s Warehouse Sale – $3.99 for summer items!” and “Carter’s Blowout Sale – Prices so low it’s scary!”.
The ads point to sophisticated fake websites designed to precisely impersonate Carter’s real website and online store. Using Carter’s logos, images, and branding, these scam sites appear convincing and reliable at first glance.
However, when shoppers place orders, they either receive:
- Nothing – The most frequent outcome is no delivery at all, as orders simply disappear after payments are processed.
- Cheap knockoffs – Some customers receive low-quality replicas, not the real brand name products.
- Used or damaged goods – In some cases, victims report receiving items that are visibly flawed or used.
- Wrong products – Orders sometimes arrive with completely different items than what was ordered.
Beyond scamming customers out of money, these fake sites also stealthily collect personal and financial data during checkout which further violates victims.
How the Carter’s Warehouse Sale Scam Works
Here is an in-depth look at how these criminal operators execute the Carter’s scam systematically:
Step 1 – Create a Fake E-Commerce Website
The scammers purchase domain names that sound similar to Carter’s real website, often misspelling or slightly altering the URL. For example, “CarterWarehouseSale.co” or “CarterClearance.net”.
They design the site to look identical to Carter’s real online store, copying product images, logos, branding, web layouts, and more. Plagiarized text and policies are used throughout the site as well.
This carefully mimicked website aims to trick customers into believing they are shopping at an authorized Carter’s store. But it is only an illusion.
Step 2 – Promote Fake Sales Offers
Once the fake website is ready, the scam shifts to aggressively promoting unbelievable warehouse sales offers on social media and other channels.
Ads tout clearance prices like “80% off everything!” or “Flash sale – today only!” with Carter’s real products shown. Countdown timers, limited stock claims, and other high-pressure tactics create false urgency.
Images of the real brand name items are used alongside the ads to further reinforce the perceived legitimacy and make the deals more enticing.
Step 3 – Collect Financial and Personal Data
When a victim visits the fraudulent site and attempts to purchase, they are directed through a checkout process designed to steal their information.
Shoppers are prompted to input credit card details, billing/shipping address, phone number, email address, and sometimes more sensitive data.
All details entered are harvested directly by the scammers running the fake operation, and payments are processed. But fulfilling orders is never their intention.
Step 4 – Provide Fake Order Confirmations
After completing checkout, victims receive convincing order confirmations made to seem like a real transaction occurred.
These contain fake order numbers, shipping details, item descriptions, delivery timelines, and claims the order is being processed. Some even include fake tracking numbers that never actually ship.
The professional confirmations give customers a false sense their order was placed, when the entire exchange was scam. No valid order exists.
Step 5 – Disappear Without Sending Products
With funds stolen and data collected, the criminals behind the sites disappear. They never possessed any legitimate merchandise to ship.
Most victims receive nothing from their “orders” placed on these fraudulent stores. In limited cases customers eventually receive random, used or inferior items clearly not matching their original purchase.
But the scam sites never intended to ship the real products displayed online. Their only goals are thievery and harvesting personal information.
8 Warning Signs of a Carter’s Warehouse Sale Scam
While the fake e-commerce websites appear convincing, some key indicators can help identify them as fraudulent:
- Too-Good-To-Be-True Pricing – Genuine Carter’s sales will offer reasonable discounts, but scams lure victims with exaggerated offers like 80%+ off all merchandise.
- High-Pressure Tactics – Scam promotions use limited time offers, low stock claims, and other manipulative gimmicks to create false urgency.
- Incorrect URL – Fake sites often misspell or slightly alter Carter’s real website address. Verify the exact valid URL: www.carters.com.
- Unfamiliar Payment Methods – Carter’s only accepts credit cards, PayPal, and Amazon Pay. Other unrecognized or unusual payment options are a red flag.
- No Contact Information – Aside from an email address, scam sites won’t provide a real location, phone number, or other direct contact info.
- Copied Content – Fake sites steal product info, policies, procedures, and more directly from Carter’s legitimate website.
- No Social Media Presence – Fraudulent stores lack any verifiable social media activity or engagement. Carter’s conversely has large legitimate social followings.
- Grammatical Errors – Scam websites often contain spelling mistakes, syntax issues, and other writing discrepancies.
Staying alert for these common warning signs of a scam can help parents avoid getting duped when shopping for their children.
How to Identify the Carter’s Warehouse Sale Scam on Social Media
A major part of this scam involves aggressively promoting the fake warehouse sales through social media ads and posts. Here are tips for spotting the scam on popular platforms:
Identifying the Scam on Facebook
The criminals utilize Facebook ads along with fake Facebook pages imitating Carter’s to promote their scam offers. Watch for:
- Ads promising unrealistic discounts like “80% off all items!” or “Warehouse clearance sale! All items $5”. Real Carter’s sales will offer reasonable rates.
- Posts using urgency tactics saying things like “One day only!” or “Only 5 hours left!”. Scams create false scarcity.
- Links leading to suspicious URLs that use Carter’s name but are not their official website. Double check the domain is exactly www.carters.com.
- Newly created Facebook pages promoting the deals but lacking any engagement or followers. Carter’s real page has millions of likes.
- Images of Carter’s items stolen from their website to portray false affiliation. The images don’t match the outrageous prices.
Carefully inspecting Facebook ads and pages tied to “too good to be true” Carter’s deals can expose this scam.
Catching the Scam on Instagram
On Instagram, be wary of:
- Influencer posts touting unbelievable Carter’s sales and directing to fake store URLs in their bios or with discount codes in captions.
- Sponsored ads in feeds using real Carter’s images alongside extreme deals that seem suspicious. The items pictured are not actually being offered that cheap.
- Promotions that create urgency like “48 hours only!” or “Going out of business sale!”.
- URLs mentioned that have typos or don’t match Carter’s exact valid website address: www.carters.com.
- Absurd free shipping claims, gift card giveaways, or sweepstakes used to lure engagement on scam posts.
Carefully scrutinizing Instagram ads and influencer promotions can reveal this ubiquitous scam.
Recognizing the Scam on TikTok
On TikTok, the scam surfaces through:
- Video ads rapidly flashing unrealistic pricing like “$1 for everything!” on top of Carter’s products.
- Hashtags like #carterswarehouseclearance or #carterssale used on videos to get views from those terms. But links lead to fake stores.
- Links posted pointing to dubious URLs or shortened links that hide the real domain.
- Comments on popular videos promoting the fake sales that redirect to scam websites.
- Influencer videos advertising unbelievable Carter’s deals to their followings, using referral codes tied to fake sites.
Staying alert for videos, comments and links that promote too-good-to-be-true Carter’s sales on TikTok can avoid falling victim.
Checking social posts for warning signs like false urgency tactics, stolen images, dubious URLs and more remains crucial to avoid this rampant scam. Savvy social media users can protect themselves and their wallets.
What to Do If You Already Fell for the Scam
If you placed an order, provided your information, and then realized the Carter’s Warehouse Sale was a scam, here are the steps to take right away:
Step 1 – Contact Your Credit Card Company
If you paid with a credit or debit card, call the provider immediately to report the charges as fraudulent. Many card issuers will quickly reverse unauthorized scam transactions and provide refunds. This can stop payments from finalizing.
Step 2 – Place Fraud Alert on Credit Reports
Since scammers have your info, put a fraud alert on your credit files requiring verification for new accounts. Also order credit reports to monitor for any suspicious activity in your name.
Step 3 – Reset Online Account Passwords
Change passwords on all online accounts that used the same credentials entered on the scam site. Use unique, complex passwords for each profile to block access.
Step 4 – Call Carter’s to Report Fake Website
Contact real Carter’s customer service by phone to notify them of the scam website misusing their brand and deceiving customers. Provide details to aid takedown efforts.
Step 5 – Report the Fraudulent Website
File detailed scam reports about the website, merchant accounts, and domain hosts to relevant authorities to get the fake store shut down and prevent future victims.
Step 6 – Warn Others About the Scam
Share your experience on social media channels and scam reporting sites to bring awareness to these tactics and help others avoid the same fate.
By acting swiftly if victimized and spreading awareness, consumers can fight back against these frauds.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Carter’s Warehouse Sale Scam
This rampant scam leaves many shoppers with critical questions. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the Carter’s Warehouse Sale scam:
Are the Carter’s deals on Facebook and Instagram real?
In most cases, outrageous deals like “90% off everything” promoted heavily on Facebook and Instagram are fake. Real Carter’s sales offer reasonable discounts, not extreme price slashes. Links usually lead to scam websites impersonating the real Carter’s site.
How can I tell if a Carter’s sale website is fake?
Warning signs of a scam Carter’s site include unrealistic low pricing, grammatical errors, aggressive sales tactics creating false urgency, unfamiliar payment options, lack of contact details, stolen product images, and an invalid URL (should be carters.com).
What happens if I order from a fake Carter’s website?
Most likely you will never receive anything. In some cases victims receive damaged, used or fake products clearly not matching their order. Either way, the sites pocket your money and personal information with no intent to ship legitimate products.
Can I get my money back if I ordered from a scam website?
If you paid by credit card, you should immediately call your card provider to report fraudulent charges. Many providers will rapidly issue refunds for scam purchases that are disputed quickly before processing completes.
Why do these scammers use the Carter’s brand?
Carter’s is a highly trusted brand with loyal customers. Scammers exploit this reputation to create an air of legitimacy and trust to lure in victims. But the fake sites have no actual relationship with Carter’s.
Is my information at risk if I entered it on a scam website?
Yes – scam sites harvest your personal and financial data directly for fraudulent purposes. Immediately place fraud alerts on your credit reports and check for any suspicious activity to protect your identity.
How can I report a fake Carter’s website or social media account?
Gather details and screenshots then report the scam website or social media account to Carter’s directly, the social platforms, IC3, FTC, BBB, domain registrars, web hosts, etc. to expedite takedowns.
How are these scammers able to create such convincing fake sites?
They invest heavily in precisely copying Carter’s real website design, imagery, text, policies, and branding so visitors believe it is the real site. But inspecting the URL reveals it is only an elaborate counterfeit.
Why don’t the social platforms catch these scam ads themselves?
While policies prohibit scam promotions, the sheer volume across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and more makes it very difficult to fully prevent fraudsters from exploiting these channels to advertise before being caught.
Understanding the warning signs, validating websites carefully, and acting swiftly if scammed remains your best defense against the rampant Carter’s Warehouse Sale scam threatening shoppers online.
The Bottom Line
The Carter’s Warehouse Sale Scam proves how far fraudsters will go to impersonate trusted brands and lure in parents seeking the best deals. But being an informed shopper, acting cautiously online, and watching for warning signs can protect families from these deceitful traps.
If scammed, reporting the fraudsters and securing your information quickly minimizes damages. Ongoing vigilance and awareness of their tactics are the key defenses against this attack on valued customers and brands like Carter’s.
