Have you seen tantalizing ads for JOANN craft supplies and fabrics at unbelievable 90% off discounts? Prices slashed so low seem too good to pass up. But before jumping on that “clearance bonanza,” recognize many are outright scams designed to rip you off.
This article exposes how scammers are deceiving crafters and sewists with fraudulent JOANN discounts up to 90% off. We will uncover their tricks to avoid falling victim and losing money to these retail scams. Read on to learn how to identify sham websites, sidestep classic traps, and keep your wallet secure.
Overview of the JOANN 90% Off Scam
The JOANN scam utilizes sham websites disguised as authorized store outlets. These bait customers with incredible clearance discounts on popular JOANN products. Prices like a $60 sewing machine for just $5.99 entice shoppers to hastily purchase without closer inspection.
However, these rock-bottom prices are a calculated ploy by scam artists operating fake online stores. After checkout, victims soon discover either no products will ship, or they receive a shoddy bracelet bearing no resemblance to what was shown online.
By the time shoppers realize it’s a scam, the website has vanished – along with their money. Losses per person often total hundreds of dollars as these sham websites multiply. JOANN works vigilantly to expose fraudulent sales, but the low overhead means scam websites keep popping up rapidly.
These crafty scammers rely on two key techniques to successfully pull off this bait and switch – deceptive ecommerce websites dressed up as official JOANN outlets plus tantalizing clearance sale offers blasted through online ads and social media.
The bait starts with ads boasting eye-catching slogans like:
- “JOANN Blowout Sale – Up to 90% Off Entire Site!”
- “Massive Warehouse Clearance – All Stock Must Go!”
- “Last Chance for Huge Savings – Today Only!”
When a social media user or searcher clicks on these compelling ads, they are funneled to a scam website stealthily designed to mimic a real JOANN store. The logo, branding, products, and navigation are nearly indistinguishable from the authentic site at first glance.
The most diabolical tactic is the unrealistic clearance prices. Savvy shoppers would normally recognize premium sewing machines and Cricut machines rarely get discounted so heavily except on select older models. But seeing 90% off overwhelms logical thinking with rash emotion. Victims hastily enter payment info under the false impression they scored an unbelievable deal.
In the sad aftermath, disappointed customers report they either got absolutely nothing or a cheap counterfeit product completely unlike what was pictured and described online. By now, the fraudulent website has disappeared – but not before harvesting credit card details from duped shoppers. This sensitive data often gets trafficked and sold on the black market to commit future fraud.
This formula has successfully ripped off uncountable online shoppers lured in by fake clearance sales on JOANN products. The company tries alerting consumers, but new scam websites keep popping up. With vigilance, customers can learn to spot illegitimate JOANN websites and avoid being manipulated into giving up their hard-earned money. But it takes diligence given how convincing the fake stores appear on the surface.
The bottom line is authentic deals only come from authorized major retailers and JOANN’s own website. Beware unbelievable price cuts over 50% off on the latest JOANN models – and 90% discounts are almost certainly a scam. When a promotion seems too amazing to be real, it nearly always is. Use caution when evaluating limited-time promotions painted as clearance bargains. But armed with knowledge, shoppers can evade this devious JOANN discount scam.
How the JOANN 90% Off Scam Works
The JOANN clearance sale scam employs predictable techniques at each stage to successfully rip off customers under the guise of blowout discounts. Here are the key steps scammers use to execute this deceitful bait and switch:
1. Bait Shoppers with Compelling Social Media and Search Engine Ads
The first step relies on baiting in potential victims. Scammers aggressively run online advertisements on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Google Ads promoting the unbelievable JOANN discounts.
These display compelling slogans and emotional wording to catch user’s attention like “95% Off All Items!”, “Massive Store Closing Sale” and “Last Day Left for Huge Savings!”
2. Drive Traffic to a Fake Ecommerce Website
When someone clicks on these dubious ads, they get funneled directly to an elaborately crafted scam website designed expressly to mimic an authorized JOANN retailer. The visual branding, logo usage, products, and content are nearly indistinguishable from the real thing.
3. Use Persuasion Tactics and False Scarcity
The fraudulent JOANN outlet pages utilize psychological manipulation to encourage immediate purchases and overcome hesitations. Countdown timers, claims of low stock, and language conveying urgency aim to produce hasty impulse buying.
4. Collect Shopper’s Payment and Personal Information
If the tricks work as intended, the scam website will harvest the victim’s credit card and personal address details during checkout under the false pretense of a secure purchase. Financial data is the scammers’ top objective.
5. Never Ship the Promised Products
Here is where affected shoppers learn the unfortunate truth – no JOANN fabrics or crafts will ever ship to them. Or even worse, they may eventually receive a cheap counterfeit bracelet worth a few dollars that vastly underperforms expectations.
It becomes clear the unbelievable deals were just a finessed ruse to pilfer credit cards and siphon money from eager shoppers. The website disappears without any way to address the sham purchases.
6. Relaunch New Scam Websites to Rinse and Repeat
Like an endless game of whack-a-mole, scam websites continuously pop up for a short time before being taken down and replaced with fresh domains. The low cost of quickly setting up fake stores makes this tactic highly efficient.
These are the core strategies used to successfully pull off JOANN clearance scams at scale while avoiding the hammer of justice. But armed with inside knowledge of their tactics, we can counterattack.
10 Red Flags to Spot a Fake JOANN Website
While scam websites may look surprisingly realistic on the surface, closer scrutiny exposes their fraudulent nature. Watch for these telltale signs to identify sham JOANN websites:
1. Prices That Are Unrealistically Low
Genuine JOANN products are competitively priced and rarely discounted more than 25-30%. Deep cuts like 90% off are absurdly suspicious.
2. High-Pressure Sales Tactics
Scam sites rely heavily on manufactured urgency cues. Beware countdown timers, claims of low stock, or language that makes you feel you’ll miss out unless you purchase immediately.
3. No Verifiable Contact Information
There should be a real physical address, working customer service phone number, and contact email. Scam sites won’t have this or fabricate details.
4. Domain Name Was Recently Registered
Run a quick domain lookup. Most fake sites will have been registered within the past 3-6 months or less. Rapid domain flipping is common.
5. Reviews Seem Exaggerated or Fake
If reviews seem overly generic, lack real detail, or use stolen images, they were likely fabricated. Genuine sites have more balanced feedback.
6. Site Certification Seals Don’t Link Anywhere
Click on trust badges like Norton or McAfee Secured to validate they lead to real certification not just inert images.
7. Grammar, Spelling and Layout Issues
Sloppy writing with weird phrasing and misspellings often signifies an overseas scam operation.
8. Limited Payment Options
Scam sites shy away from PayPal and only offer credit cards for fast access to your money without buyer protection.
9. No Social Media Presence
Most legitimate brands today maintain social profiles for marketing and customer service. Scams are just hollow shells for processing payments.
10. Logos Look Pixelated or Low Quality
Fuzzy, distorted brand logos were likely lifted from other sites rather than official source files.
Finding multiple red flags is a clear giveaway that something shady is afoot. Use your best judgment and when uncertain, stick to JOANN.com or known major retailers to avoid being scammed.
How To Spot the Fake JOANN Sales On Social Media
Spotting JOANN Scams on Facebook
- Watch for sponsored posts with unbelievable discounts like “95% Off Site-Wide!”. This is a huge red flag something is amiss.
- Emotional wording like “Last Chance to Save!” seeks to produce hasty, irrational buying without scrutiny.
- Scam ads will showcase piles of fabrics and craft supplies at rock bottom prices to portray fictional blowout sales.
- Clicking the Facebook ad links goes to shady sites slightly different than the real JOANN domain.
- Reviews seem exaggerated or completely absent – a sign of a fraudulent new website.
Identifying JOANN Fakes on Instagram
- Targeted Instagram ads promise absurdly discounted prices like a $300 Cricut for $19.99.
- Urgency tactics in captions plead “Almost Gone!” or “Selling Fast!” to pressure fast impulse buying.
- Links in Instagram profiles lead to deceitful websites dressed up to mimic JOANN’s authentic site.
- Product images likely stolen from JOANN’s official Instagram account and other sources.
- No natural user engagement on scam posts – just sponsored ads pointing to the fraudulent site.
Catching JOANN Scams on TikTok
- Video ads feature unrealisticVoiceovers, text, and graphics boast of “huge savings” up to 90% off.
- Tactics like countdown timers and low stock claims aim to overwhelm logic and caution.
- Links in profiles and posts route to elaborate fake sites nearly identical to JOANN’s real website.
- JOANN videos are ripped off entirely or used in fabricated compilation ads by scammers.
- View counts seem inflated by fake bot accounts and comments show no authentic interaction.
Apply extra skepticism when promotions seem too amazing to be factual. Verify legitimacy before clicking dubious links or providing any personal information. Remember – legitimate brands don’t offer 90% off site-wide except in scammers’ wildest fantasies. Stay vigilant against retail frauds lurking on social platforms.
What to Do If You Are a Victim of the JOANN Scam
If you unfortunately fell for a fake JOANN website, stay calm but take quick action to try mitigating the damage:
- Immediately call your credit card and bank to report fraudulent charges so they can start claims.
- Ask your bank to request an urgent wire recall for any transfers sent. Time is critical.
- Place fraud alerts on credit reports and closely monitor statements for at least 12 months.
- Report the fraudulent website to hosts, registrars and consumer protection agencies to get it taken down.
- File an official scam report with your local law enforcement and the FTC to aid investigations.
- Check privacy settings on all social media accounts.
- Warn others in crafting groups and communities about the scam site to prevent more victims.
- Freeze credit reports with Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian if highly concerned about identity theft risks.
- Carefully screen any new credit card offers for signs of fraudulent applications using your data.
- Adjust email and social media privacy settings to limit visibility of personal information useful to scammers.
- Contact JOANN to notify them of the unauthorized website misusing their brand identity and assets. They actively work to expose fake discount scams and shut them down.
- If you start seeing other suspicious charges or withdrawals on accounts, notify your bank again right away to dispute.
Dealing with the aftermath of retail scams requires diligence to limit losses and prevent repeat victimization. While any lost funds may be difficult or impossible to fully recover, taking countermeasures can halt further damages. Take the case seriously and act swiftly upon uncovering fraud.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Counterfeit JOANN Discount Scam
1. How does the JOANN 90% off scam work?
Fraudsters engineer fake JOANN websites with deep discounts to bait shoppers. Victims purchase seemingly amazing deals but get nothing or cheap counterfeits. Scammers harvest payment info and quickly abandon sites.
2. Where are the scam ads located?
Social platforms like Facebook, Instagram and search engines through compelling ads leading to elaborate sham websites.
3. What are some red flags of a fake JOANN site?
Irrational discounts above 50% off, pixelated logos, recent domain registration, exaggerated claims of low stock and no verifiable contact info are signs it’s a scam.
4. What techniques do scammers use against shoppers?
High-pressure tactics through countdown timers, claims of low stock and emotional wording like “Last Chance!” trigger hasty buying without closer inspection.
5. How much money is lost by scam victims on average?
Reported losses range from $50 to $300+ depending on products purchased. But the real damage is stolen payment info enabling future fraud.
6. Are the discounts advertised real JOANN promos?
No. Genuine JOANN discounts rarely exceed 25%. So offers above 50% off are clear scams capitalizing on unrealistic deals.
7. What should I do if scammed?
Immediately contact your bank and credit card companies to halt payments. Report the fraud to consumer protection agencies to get the website taken down and stop the scammers.
8. How can I identify sham JOANN websites?
No contact info, false trust seals, exaggerated discounts, hidden whois domain info, grammar errors and emotional urgency tactics are telltale signs of a scam.
9. Where is the only legit place to get JOANN deals?
JOANN’s official website and confirmed major retailers. Anywhere else hyper-discounting the latest products is surely a scam. Sign up for JOANN’s email list for real sale notifications.
10. How can I avoid the fake JOANN sales scam?
Simply never purchase from unfamiliar sites offering prices too good to be true. Double check for multiple red flags indicating a fraudulent website before providing any sensitive personal or payment data.
The Bottom Line on Avoiding the Fake JOANN Sale Scam
In the world of online shopping, offers that seem too good to be true almost universally are. Steep discounts like 90% off on the latest Cricut and sewing machines at JOANN are unrealistic and aim to bait customers into a trap.
What appears a dream clearance sale is just a ruse for fraudsters to pilfer credit cards and siphon off payments. Their sophisticated scam websites are engineered to closely imitate JOANN’s real online store. But small flaws expose their illegitimate nature upon closer inspection.
Spidey sense should be tingling over deals declaring “entire store” or “total clearance” at irrational price cuts. Limited-time countdown timers and claims of dwindling stock aim to undermine logical thinking with irrational urgency.
By law, JOANN can’t authorize or profit from counterfeit products. So deeply discounted products are guaranteed fakes that never ship. JOANN tries warning shoppers, but new scam websites rapidly spawn. Customers must stay informed and vigilant against being manipulated by fake discounts.
Buy exclusively from JOANN’s official website or authorized major retailers. Sign up directly with brands for any legitimate deal alerts. But astronomical markdowns are exclusively ploys by scammers to capitalize on unwary shoppers through emotional manipulation. Keep your money safely away from these fraudulent JOANN discounts promising unbelievable savings.
