L.L.Bean is one of the most well-known and trusted outdoor apparel and gear retailers in the United States. However, scammers are taking advantage of L.L.Bean’s good reputation by creating fake L.L.Bean sales promotions and websites to rip off unsuspecting customers.
Overview of the Scam
Recently, ads have been popping up on social media for an “L.L.Bean All Under $6 Sale” with ridiculously low prices on L.L.Bean products. The ads direct users to convincing fake L.L.Bean websites that appear legitimate at first glance.
However, this sale is a complete scam designed to steal money and personal information from customers. L.L.Bean is not offering any such promotion. The fake sites are carefully designed to mimic the look and feel of the real L.L.Bean site in order to fool users into thinking they are shopping on the official L.L.Bean website.
The scam works like this: customers place orders through the fake sites expecting to receive high-quality L.L.Bean products at impossibly low prices. But after handing over their money and personal information, they never receive any products. The crooks behind the sites take the money and run.
This scam has been ramping up recently as more ads are placed on social media to snare victims. It is important to be able to identify the signs of this scam to avoid being ripped off.
How the L.L.Bean All Under $6 Sale Scam Works
The scammers behind this fraud are running a textbook bait-and-switch scheme. Here are the steps they follow to rip people off:
Step 1: Create Convincing Fake Website
The scammers setup websites designed to look exactly like the real L.L.Bean site at first glance. The fake sites perfectly mimic the familiar L.L.Bean branding with the company’s logo, fonts, and color scheme.
The sites are populated with images of real L.L.Bean products, along with product descriptions likely copied and pasted from the legitimate L.L.Bean catalog. This makes the inventory appear authentic.
To capture user data, the sites even have account creation forms, shopping carts, and checkout flows that closely resemble the real L.L.Bean customer experience.
Step 2: Promote Fake Sale on Social Media
Once the fake site is ready, the scammers create social media ads promoting an unbelievable sale, such as the L.L.Bean All Under $6 Sale.
The ads boast eye-popping discounts up to 90% off and direct users to the fraudulent site. The scam ads are designed to go viral by offering such outrageous deals on expensive products.
The ads often specifically target L.L.Bean fans and customers by using interest targeting capabilities built into social media platforms. This helps ensure the ads reach users who are likely familiar with and trust the L.L.Bean brand, making them more susceptible to the scam.
Step 3: Drive Traffic to Fake Sites
As the scam ads spread across social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, they succeed in directing heavy traffic to the fake sites.
Users who click on the ads are sent to the fraudulent L.L.Bean domains set up by the scammers instead of the real L.L.Bean website.
The sites have domain names designed to sound like the real L.L.Bean site, often using misspellings or alternate domain extensions. This helps hide the fact that the users are not on the real L.L.Bean website.
Step 4: Harvest User Data
When users land on the fake sites, they browse what looks like a legitimate L.L.Bean website. As they shop and create accounts, the sites harvest all the data entered by users in the checkout process.
This gives the fraudsters users’ names, email addresses, phone numbers, shipping addresses, credit card numbers, and other personal info. Users are handing over all this sensitive data without realizing they are on a scam site.
Step 5: Take Payment Without Fulfilling Orders
After users submit their payment info to place an order, the scammers behind the sites simply pocket the money without any intention of shipping the promised products.
The sites are designed to accept credit cards, gift cards, and various online payments. But the scammers have no physical merchandise to sell. They take payment and then give customers the runaround when the promised items never arrive.
At this point, victims realize too late that they have been ripped off. But since the sites are fraudulent, there is no way for users to recover their losses or contact the “company” to complain. The scammers disappear with the money and move on to their next victims.
How to Spot the Fake L.L.Bean Websites
The scammers behind the fake L.L.Bean sale scheme are experts at making their fraudulent sites look convincing. However, upon closer inspection there are always red flags that can help identify the counterfeit websites. Here are the top signs to watch out for:
Recently Created Domains
The fake sites often use domain names that were registered very recently, usually within the past few months or less. This is a clear signal of a scam attempt versus the decades-old L.L.Bean.com domain.
Lack of Accurate Contact Information
The official L.L.Bean website prominently displays various ways to contact their customer service team, including phone, email and physical addresses. The fake sites will have sparse contact details, if any at all. Often just a shady email address is listed.
Unbelievable Deals Up to 90% Off
If you see termos like “Limited Time Offer!”, “Today Only Sale 90% off!”, “Clearance Prices!”, and similar language boasting once-in-a-lifetime discounts, steer clear. L.L.Bean does not offer clearance sale prices approaching anywhere near 90% off regular prices.
Copied Product Images and Details
A dead giveaway is recognizing the exact same product photos and descriptions copied directly from llbean.com. The scammers did not even bother creating unique product listings for their fake inventory.
Bait-and-Switch Slogans
Slogans like “Going out of Business Sale”, “Store Closing Sale”, and “End of Season Clearance” are commonly used to create a false sense of urgency. L.L.Bean is not going out of business or closing stores.
Always verify that any website promoting heavily discounted L.L.Bean products matches the company’s real domain – llbean.com. If the URLs look fishy, it’s definitely a scam attempt.
How to Identify the Scam on Social Media
Spotting the Scam on Facebook
On Facebook, the scam ads may appear in your feed, in Facebook groups related to shopping deals, or on Facebook Marketplace. Here’s what to look for:
- Ads boasting “All Under $6 Sale” or “90% Off L.L.Bean” in the text. L.L.Bean does not offer these unrealistic discounts.
- Posts using enticing slogans like “Today Only Sale”, “Limited Time Offer” or “Free Shipping”. This creates false urgency.
- Images of L.L.Bean products copied directly from the company’s website to make the sale look real.
- Links in the ads and posts going to sketchy URLs rather than llbean.com. The domain names may be misspelled or use odd extensions.
Spotting the Scam on Instagram
On Instagram, be suspicious of:
- Instagram photo ads for the fake L.L.Bean sale using the slogans described above.
- Instagram Stories promoting the scam sale with swipe up links going to questionable domains rather than llbean.com.
- Instagram influencers posting about unbelievable L.L.Bean deals. This lures followers to the scam sites.
- Instagram accounts impersonating L.L.Bean promoting the bogus sales.
Spotting the Scam on TikTok
On TikTok, the scam may spread via:
- TikTok videos focused on shopping hacks and deals mentioning a fake L.L.Bean promotion.
- Comments on popular videos providing links to purchase L.L.Bean products for 90% off.
- TikTok accounts impersonating L.L.Bean and posting fake videos advertising the scam sale.
- TikTok influencers creating videos with AI-generated images of L.L.Bean products at ridiculous prices.
The bottom line is if you see an L.L.Bean sale on social media for All Under $6 or with discounts over 75-90% off, it is a scam attempt. Only purchase L.L.Bean products directly through llbean.com.
What to Do If You Have Fallen Victim to the Scam
If you placed an order through one of the fake L.L.Bean sale sites and never received your items, here are the steps you should take right away:
1. Contact Your Credit Card Company or Bank
If you paid with a credit or debit card, immediately call your credit card company or bank to report the charges as fraudulent. Request a chargeback so the charges can be reversed and your money returned. Act quickly, as chargeback time limits typically range from 90-120 days. Provide any details about the scam site and transaction.
2. Monitor Your Credit Reports
Since the scammers have your personal info, place a fraud alert on your credit reports with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This signals creditors to verify your identity before opening new credit in your name. Also closely monitor your reports for any suspicious activity.
3. Change Passwords
If you used the same passwords on the fake site as you do on other accounts, quickly change them. Use strong, unique passwords for every website to prevent the scammers from accessing more of your accounts.
4. Watch for Phishing Emails
Be alert for any follow-up emails from the scammers pretending to be from L.L.Bean and asking for additional info or payments. Report phishing attempts to L.L.Bean.
5. Report the Scam
File reports about the scam website with the FTC, FBI, IC3, and L.L.Bean so they can investigate the criminals behind it. Provide any details on the site, ads, companies, and payments related to the scam.
6. Warn Others
Post on social media and scam reporting websites to expose the fraud so others don’t fall for the same trick. Share key details like the site URL, account names used in the ads, and screenshot evidence.
By taking these steps, you can limit the damage from the scam and prevent others from being victimized. If enough people report the fake sites, it improves the chances of getting them shut down.
Frequently Asked Questions about the L.L.Bean All Under $6 Sale Scam
1. What is the L.L.Bean All Under $6 Sale scam?
The L.L.Bean All Under $6 Sale scam is a fraudulent promotion being advertised on social media and fake websites. Scammers are luring customers with ads about an L.L.Bean sale with incredible discounts up to 90% off all items. However, L.L.Bean is not offering any such promotion. The ads and websites are a scam to steal money and information.
2. How does the L.L.Bean Under $6 scam work?
The scammers create fake websites made to look exactly like the real L.L.Bean site. They place ads on social media promoting the fictional sale. When users click on the ads, they are sent to the fraudulent sites and tricked into handing over payment and personal data. However, no products are ever shipped. The scammers disappear with the money.
3. What are some signs of the fake L.L.Bean websites?
Signs include misspellings in the URL, scammy language about unbelievable deals in the ads, contact info that doesn’t match the real company, and an overall lack of transparency about who owns or operates the site.
4. What happens if I order from one of the fake sites?
You will lose any money paid, your personal information will be compromised, and you will never receive any products. The sites are purely designed to rip people off. After your payment info is collected, the scammers disappear without fulfilling any orders.
5. What should I do if already I placed an order through a fake site?
Immediately contact your credit card company or bank to report the charges as fraudulent and have them reversed. Monitor your credit reports closely for any suspicious activity. Change any passwords also used on the fake site. Report the site to the FTC, FBI, L.L.Bean and other authorities.
6. How can I avoid this scam?
Only order directly from the official L.L.Bean website at llbean.com. L.L.Bean will never offer such unrealistic discounts. Be wary of unbelievable deals, especially on expensive products. Always do your research before providing info to unfamiliar sites.
7. How can I report this scam or fake site?
File a complaint at ftc.gov with the Federal Trade Commission. You can also report it to L.L.Bean customer service so they can take action against the scammers misusing their brand. Warn others about specific fake sites on scam reporting forums and social media.
8. How can I identify a fake L.L.Bean website or ad?
Watch for red flags like prices that seem too good to be true (up to 90% off), grammatical errors, weird URLs, stock photos, scammy language like “limited time only”, lack of physical address, and inability to find contact info. Verify the URL matches llbean.com exactly before ordering.
9. Are the scam ads only on Facebook and Instagram?
No, they may appear on any social platform like Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest etc. Any ad leading to an L.L.Bean sale offering unrealistic discounts is sure to be a scam attempt. Always verify the actual website domain before clicking links.
10. What happens to my data collected by the fake sites?
Your personal info will likely be sold on the dark web or used by the scammers to commit identity theft. Monitor your credit and accounts closely for fraudulent activity. Never enter your data on unfamiliar sites offering unrealistic deals.
The Bottom Line
The L.L.Bean All Under $6 Sale scam is a prime example of the importance of exercising caution when you encounter unbelievable deals online. If an offer seems too good to be true, it almost always is.
Genuine 75-90% off sales simply do not exist from reputable retailers like L.L.Bean that sell high-quality gear and apparel. Any website advertising such outrageous prices on expensive products should be considered highly suspicious.
Don’t let greed blind you to obvious red flags. Stay vigilant for signs of scam sites like misspellings, sketchy contact info, scam ad language, and copies of product photos and details. Only shop directly through llbean.com to ensure you are ordering from the real company.
When in doubt, search online for reviews and complaints about unfamiliar sites before providing payment info or personal data. Take the time to research before getting lured in by viral social media scam ads making promises that are just too good to be true. Applying skepticism can keep you from becoming the next victim of online retail scams.
