Bargain shoppers beware! Scammers are running rampant on social media and sham websites promoting fake Mayoral sales with prices slashed up to 90% off. But before you jump to score that $39 Mayoral jacket or $29 dress, stop! Read on to avoid falling victim to these fraudulent deals bilking unsuspecting shoppers out of millions. We have the inside scoop on how to spot these deceptive promotions and where the scam hides in plain sight – right on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
With a few simple tips, you can protect yourself from this clothing scam spreading like wildfire online and continue hunting for real deals safely. Don’t let schemers pilfer your hard-earned money for nothing. Learn what to watch for and stay savvy so you can spot their tricks from a mile away.
Overview of the Mayoral 90% Off Scam
A growing scam on social media and shady websites is duping bargain hunters into purchasing deeply discounted Mayoral apparel that never arrives. Scammers are capitalizing on Mayoral’s popularity by creating fake promotions featuring their brand without permission. This fraudulent scheme has scammed thousands of consumers out of millions in recent months.
Here’s an in-depth look at how the prolific Mayoral 90% off scam works and who the victims tend to be.
Scammers Create Fake Mayoral Sites and Social Ads
The scammers begin by making imitation Mayoral websites using the company’s logos, product images and brand messaging without authorization. They promote these fake sites through targeted social media ads run on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
The compelling ads tout special sales claiming to offer Mayoral merchandise at clearance prices up to 90% off. Examples include ads for Mayoral Warehouse Sale, Mayoral Store Closing Sale, Mayoral Outlet Sale and Mayoral Going Out of Business Sale.
When people click on these sponsored ads, they get sent to the scam sites designed to mimic a legitimate Mayoral web store. But it’s just a facade meticulously crafted to dupe shoppers.
Fake Discount Prices Lure Bargain Shoppers
The scam sites showcase Mayoral clothing and accessories at unbelievably low prices like $29, $39 and $49 for items typically costing $100 or more. These extreme discounts of 90% off or more create an enticing lure for deal-seeking shoppers.
Seeing a Mayoral coat for just $29 that’s listed at $245 on the real company site will tempt those looking to save. Scammers bank on the fact that such outrageous deals will cause consumers to overlook red flags.
Victims Never Receive Products After Payment
After victims place orders on the scam websites, the scammers collect their payments immediately. Shoppers typically pay by credit card or PayPal for convenience.
But the items they purchased never arrive. Any emails sent to the site’s customer service go unanswered. The scammers already got what they wanted – the victim’s money.
People who fell for these fake discounts only receive an unusable product like cheap sunglasses – if they receive anything at all. This leaves them frustrated and out the money spent.
Scam Targets Bargain Shoppers of All Ages
While anyone can fall victim to online shopping scams, this particular Mayoral scam tends to target bargain hunters. With Mayoral’s trendy but inexpensive clothes and accessories, their target audience is women under 40 on a budget.
Younger consumers aged 18-29 are often enticed by seemingly amazing clothing deals shared on social media and websites. Without experience spotting scams, many mistakenly believe the offers are legit.
However, older shoppers searching for bargain prices can also get duped. The scammers cast a wide net with their scam Mayoral ads and sites hoping to lure in as many unsuspecting victims as possible.
Scammers Stay One Step Ahead of Victims and Law Enforcement
Scammers get away with these schemes by staying agile and anonymous. They provide no working contact information on their fake sites. Once victims cannot reach customer service, they give up trying to get back their money.
The scammers also quickly abandon and recreate new scam websites to stay ahead of angry customers and legal authorities. They are masters at covering their tracks and avoiding accountability.
By continuing to scam new victims, the perpetrators rake in more ill-gotten gains from their deceptive schemes. Bringing these faceless scammers to justice remains a challenge.
How the Mayoral 90% Off Scam Works
The scammers running this scam put a lot of effort into making their sites look legit. But a few red flags can help identify their malicious intent if you know what to look for.
Here are the steps scammers take to execute this scam:
1. Create Fake Mayoral Website
The scammers register a domain name that sounds like the real site, often using the company name Mayoral in the URL. They design the site to resemble the authentic Mayoral site, stealing logos, product photos and descriptions.
To appear more legitimate, they list a phone number, email and physical addresses. However, the contact info is fake or non-working.
2. Promote with Social Media Ads
Scammers run ads on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok promoting the fake Mayoral site. The ads tout clearance sales, liquidation sales or going out of business sales with prices slashed up to 90% off.
The compelling ads target shoppers searching for deals on clothing online. People who click the ad are sent to the scam website.
3. Dupe Visitors with Deals
The fake site showcases Mayoral clothing at insanely low prices like $29, $39 or $49. These prices are usually 90% or more off the MSRP. Too-good-to-be-true discounts lure in bargain shoppers.
Visitors are pressured to act fast before the sale ends. Countdown timers create urgency to complete a purchase before time runs out.
4. Collect Payment, Never Deliver
Once victims place orders, scammers collect their money. Credit cards are charged immediately. But the ordered products never arrive.
Any customer service inquiries go unanswered or receive vague responses. Scammers avoid helping unhappy shoppers in hopes they just give up.
5. Use a Disposable Site
Scammers don’t intend to stay in business long. Once word spreads that a site is a scam, they ditch it and create a new one.
These disposable sites help them continue scamming new victims while avoiding problems with past customers. It’s a constant game of staying one step ahead.
Identifying Red Flags of the Fake Mayoral Websites
Scammers try hard to make their fake shopping websites look legit, but some key signs can reveal their deceitful intentions. Watch for these red flags when visiting Mayoral sale sites:
- Domain registered recently – Scam sites use new domains often registered just weeks or months ago. Search the domain on Whois lookup sites to see when it was created.
- Missing contact info – No physical address or working customer service number are provided – just an email if you’re lucky. Lack of real contact info indicates a shady seller.
- Unbelievable prices – Real Mayoral merchandise won’t be 90% or more off. Crazy low prices like $29 for a jacket scream “scam” loud and clear.
- Copied content – Product descriptions, images, and other content are stolen from the real Mayoral site or elsewhere online.
- High-pressure tactics – Countdown timers, claims of low stock and urgent calls to action pressure you to buy before you have time to think.
- Misspellings/grammar issues – Sloppy writing and typos unlikely for a major company betray the site as amateur.
- No SSL security – Secure sites should start with “https.” Avoid entering payment info on any site starting with just “http.”
- No social media links – The site lacks links to any company social media profiles. Scam sites don’t want you finding their lack of online presence.
- Negative reviews – Search for the site on ScamAdviser or do a Google search adding “scam” or “fake” to see warnings.
Trust your instincts – if a website seems questionable, close it and find the real brand’s site to shop safely. Avoid getting duped by doing your research before providing payment or personal data.
How To Spot the Mayoral Clearance Sale Scam on Facebook
How to Spot the Mayoral Scam on Facebook
The scam Mayoral ads most often appear as sponsored ads in your feed. Here’s what to watch for:
- Ad headlines promoting a huge sale like “Mayoral Warehouse Clearance – Up to 90% Off”
- Prices that seem way too good to be true like $29 for a coat
- Urgent calls to action – “Today Only!” “Going out of business sale!”
- Location listed as an ambiguous city or state instead of an actual store address
- Poor image and video quality since ads use stolen or AI-generated content
- Misspellings and grammatical errors uncommon for major brands
- User reviews on the Facebook page appear fake or non-existent
- Clicking the ad leads to a shady website instead of the real Mayoral site
How to Spot the Mayoral Scam on Instagram
The scam pops up on Instagram as sponsored ads in your feed and stories. Watch for:
- Eye-catching headlines like “Mayoral Blowout Sale! Everything Must Go!”
- Prices on clothes and accessories slashed over 90% off
- Posts urge fast action – “Today Only Prices!” “Almost Sold Out!”
- Location tagged is a vague city instead of real store address
- Video clips seem awkward or computer-generated
- Comments and likes appear fake or artificially inflated
- Link in bio goes to sketchy site instead of real Mayoral store
- Account was just created recently
How to Spot the Mayoral Scam on TikTok
Like Facebook and Instagram, fake Mayoral ads on TikTok also use tactics to manipulate viewers. Red flags include:
- Ad caption promoting unrealistic sale like “Mayoral Store Closing Sale 90% Off”
- Video shows clothes and prices but no physical storefront
- Prices absurdly cheap like $39 for a jacket
- High-pressure tactics – “Going fast!” “Today only!”
- Link in bio leads to shady site with no working contact info
- Account has few or fake-looking followers and likes
- Comments seem astroturfed with no negative feedback
- Video clips seem stilted or computer-generated
Be wary of too-good-to-be-true discounts on Mayoral products promoted on social media. Always verify an ad comes from the real brand before clicking or buying. With awareness, you can avoid this pervasive clothing scam.
What to Do If You’re a Victim of the Mayoral 90% Off Scam
If you placed an order on one of these scam websites masquerading as Mayoral, take the following steps right away:
- Contact your bank. Notify your credit card company or bank immediately to report the transaction as fraudulent. Ask them to reverse the charges and issue a new card. Acting quickly can help you get your money back.
- Inform Mayoral. Reach out to the real Mayoral company to notify them someone is using their brand to scam people. They may be able to take legal action.
- Report the site. File a complaint with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Also report the site to the web host it uses and to social networks like Facebook and Instagram where you saw ads for it. Getting scam sites shut down helps prevent future victims.
- Watch for identity theft. Scammers may have gained access to personal data like your name, address and credit card number. Monitor your accounts closely for any suspicious activity. Consider a credit freeze or fraud alert as precautions.
- Warn others. Share your experience on social media or complaint sites to expose the scam. The more people made aware of schemers’ tricks, the less likely others will fall for it.
- Learn from it. Study up on common online shopping scams like this. Being able to spot red flags makes you less vulnerable. Use prepaid cards for purchases on unfamiliar sites for better protection.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Mayoral 90% Off Scam
1. What is the Mayoral 90% off scam?
This prevalent scam involves scammers creating fake websites and social media ads pretending to sell Mayoral clothing at up to 90% off. The scam sites take payment but never send any products to customers. They are not associated with the real Mayoral brand but use the company’s name and imagery illegally to defraud shoppers seeking bargains.
2. How do the scammers advertise the fake Mayoral sales?
Scammers run sponsored ads on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Google promoting huge markdowns on Mayoral products. The ads tout fake sales like “Mayoral Warehouse Clearance,” “Mayoral Going Out of Business Sale” or “Mayoral Store Closing Sale” with items supposedly discounted up to 90% off.
3. What happens when you buy from the fake Mayoral sites?
When customers place orders on the scam websites for deeply discounted Mayoral items, the sites immediately collect their payments. But the ordered products are never shipped. Any follow-up emails from the customer go unanswered. The scammers already got the victim’s money and move on to the next target.
4. How can I identify these fake Mayoral sale sites?
Red flags include unbelievable discounts like 90% off, missing contact information, recently registered domain names, fake customer reviews, low-quality product images, and social media posts urging immediate action. Real Mayoral sites have “https” URLs, working contact numbers and physical addresses.
5. What do the scam websites look like?
The fake sites display the Mayoral logo and branding throughout to appear legitimate. They list postal addresses and phone numbers that don’t actually work. The sites mimic the look of a real ecommerce store but offer prices too good to be true.
6. Why are the scammers targeting the Mayoral brand?
Mayoral’s popularity among budget-conscious women makes their brand name attractive to scammers seeking to lure bargain shoppers. Mayoral’s clothes and accessories already sell at affordable prices. So ads touting them at 90% off seem plausible to unsuspecting consumers.
7. Who is behind these Mayoral 90% off scam sites?
It’s unclear exactly who creates and profits from these scams. They hide behind proxy domain registrations and fake business credentials. Scammers operate anonymously to avoid being identified and prosecuted. The sites vanish quickly once discovered as fraudulent.
8. How can I report a fake Mayoral website or social ad?
Notify the real Mayoral company first. File a complaint at the FTC and IC3. Report the website to scam monitoring sites and the domain registrar. Flag fake social ads to the platforms where you saw them. The more reports filed, the faster these scams get taken down.
9. How do I avoid falling for the fake Mayoral sale scam?
Simply avoid jumping on deals that seem too good to be true. Always verify sales come from the real brand site before providing payment or personal data. Search for reviews to expose scam sites ahead of time. When in doubt, stick to the authentic Mayoral website and official social media pages.
10. What if I already placed an order on a scam site?
If you paid by credit card, request a chargeback immediately. File complaints with the FTC, state attorney general, and BBB. Warn others about the site on social media. Monitor your accounts closely for any signs of identity theft just in case. Unfortunately getting your money back will be very difficult.
The Bottom Line
The Mayoral 90% off scam preys on bargain shoppers’ desire to score deep discounts on clothing. Skilled scammers create an enticing facade with stolen logos, photos and celebrity endorsements. But it’s all lies meant to trick you into sending money for nothing.
Protect yourself by watching for red flags like unbelievable prices, missing contact info and scam site warnings. If you spot a deal that seems too good to be true, it always is. Avoid letting temptation lead you into a scam causing financial headaches.
With vigilance and smart shopping habits, you can enjoy finding deals online without getting ripped off. Following safety tips, only using reputable sites and doing research first allows you to shop both smoothly and safely.
