Flowers make the perfect gift for almost any occasion. They convey love, celebrate life events, and brighten people’s days. But what happens when you order flowers online and they never arrive? Unfortunately, scam flower delivery websites are on the rise, luring in unsuspecting victims with seemingly amazing deals. One such site is SarataFlowers.com.
At first glance, Sarata Flowers looks like a legitimate online florist. The website is nicely designed and contains sections for various occasions, flower types, and deals. However, this facade quickly crumbles upon closer inspection. SarataFlowers.com exhibits multiple red flags that indicate it’s a scam designed to steal people’s money.
Overview of the Sarata Flowers Scam
SarataFlowers.com promotes incredibly low prices on flower arrangements, sometimes as low as $17. These unrealistic deals are dangled to entice customers into placing orders. Once an order is submitted, Sarata Flowers will take payment but never deliver the flowers.
The site gives vague excuses about delivery issues and promises refunds that never materialize. Eventually, victims are unable to get responses from the company. SarataFlowers.com essentially pockets people’s money while sending nothing in return.
This scam leverages the power of social media ads to find victims. Facebook ads from Sarata Flowers lure in customers with tantalizing flower deals. But behind the cutesy bouquets lies a ruthless criminal enterprise.
Sarata Flowers exhibits an array of traits that reveal its true intentions. Recognizing these red flags can help prevent becoming the next victim of this deceptive flower scam.
How the Sarata Flowers Scam Works
The operators behind SarataFlowers.com have crafted a clever scheme to take advantage of flower lovers everywhere. Here is an inside look at exactly how their scam works at every stage.
1. Creating a Convincing Facade
The first priority of Sarata Flowers is presenting the illusion of a legitimate flower delivery service. Their website is cleanly designed and contains the sections one would expect from a florist site:
- Occasions – Birthday, New Baby, Sympathy, etc.
- Flowers – Roses, bouquets, plants, and arrangements
- Deals – Sales, promotions, and clearance items
- Contact Us page with email address
At first glance, nothing seems amiss. The site looks professional and checks the boxes for an online flower shop. However, notice the lack of an actual company name, business address, or phone number.
The content also raises some red flags upon closer inspection. The “About Us” page contains generic text that could apply to any flower company. There are no specifics about when Sarata Flowers was founded, who owns it, or where it is located.
2. Baiting Victims with Social Media Ads
Sarata Flowers relies heavily on Facebook ads to promote their website. These ads tout unbelievable deals like a dozen roses for $17 or %50 off bouquets.
The beautiful flower arrangements grab people’s attention, while the absurdly low prices provide the incentive to click through to the site. These ads target flower shoppers by interests like gardening, floral design, and birthdays.
Once on the site, visitors find the advertised prices alongside other incredibly cheap deals. The scam banks on the deals being enticing enough to overcome people’s skepticism about the site. The low prices bait victims into placing orders.
3. Collecting Payments While Avoiding Delivery
When a customer places an order, Sarata Flowers collects their payment information upfront. They accept various payment methods including credit cards, PayPal, and even cryptocurrency.
Of course, the ordered flowers never arrive. Sarata Flowers will provide vague excuses and stall tactics via email to string victims along. They may cite reasons like:
- Delivery driver got in an accident
- Florist ran out of roses
- Payment processing problem
- Warehouse transfer issue
Eventually, Sarata Flowers stops responding altogether. They may even take down the website and reappear under a new domain name to continue the scam.
At no point do they deliver anything to the victims who have paid for flowers. Any promises of refunds or rescheduled deliveries are hollow lies designed to pacify people temporarily.
4. Raking in Profits and Disappearing
So where does all the money go? Into the pockets of the scam artists behind Sarata Flowers. They pay nothing for flower inventory and delivery, so virtually every dollar earned is profit.
Sarata Flowers has been operating under various names since at least 2020. Despite complaints and bad press, they continue to bilk people out of money.
When the jig is finally up, they abandon their domain name and reappear under a new website. Their social media ads and scam techniques stay the same as they continue stealing from unsuspecting flower lovers.
This cycle persists because the operators face little risk or consequences. They hide behind the anonymity of the internet to run their scam. Law enforcement lacks the resources and jurisdiction to adequately investigate and prosecute these complex international cyber crimes.
Until greater action is taken, scam delivery services like Sarata Flowers will continue to thrive by exploiting people’s desire for beautiful flowers at bargain prices.
How to Spot the SarataFlowers.com Scam
SarataFlowers.com goes to great lengths to appear as a legitimate flower delivery service. But upon closer inspection, several red flags indicate it’s a scam operation. Here are the telltale signs to watch out for:
Unbelievably Low Prices
Real flower arrangements, especially roses, are expensive to grow, ship, and arrange. Sarata Flowers advertises extravagant bouquets and flower deals for prices as low as $17. These absurdly cheap prices are a dead giveaway that the deals are fake.
Lack of Company Details
The Sarata Flowers website contains no identifiable information about who owns or operates it. There is no business address, phone number, or even contact names on the site. This lack of verifiable details is highly suspicious.
Generic Website Content
The product descriptions, FAQs, and other content on Sarata Flowers is vague and generic. There are no specific details about flower sources, arrangement designers, delivery partners, or the company itself.
Newly Registered Domain
A quick domain lookup reveals that SarataFlowers.com was registered just a few months ago. This shows the site was hastily created recently, not a long-standing flower business.
No Social Media Presence
Beyond the scam ads, Sarata Flowers has zero social media profiles, reviews, or mentions. A real flower company would have an active presence on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Customer Complaints
Searching online reveals many angry customers reporting they paid Sarata Flowers and never received anything. There are zero positive reviews from real buyers.
Sarata Flowers exhibits every characteristic of a scam. Being able to recognize these warning signs can prevent you from becoming another victim. Any flower delivery site displaying similar red flags should be avoided.
Here is a section on how to spot SarataFlowers.com ads and other similar flower scams on Facebook:
How to Identify Flower Scam Ads on Facebook
Fake flower delivery services like Sarata Flowers heavily rely on Facebook ads to find victims. Here are some tips for spotting their scammy ads:
Too-Good-to-Be-True Deals
Ads touting flowers for absurdly cheap prices like $10 for a large bouquet or 50% off are highly suspicious. Legitimate flower vendors cannot offer such deep discounts on high-quality arrangements.
Stock Images
Scam ads typically use generic, stock photos of flowers not associated with any real floral business. Reverse image searches reveal these are stolen graphics.
Bait & Switch Tactics
Ads may bait with extravagant flowers then the site offers subpar substitutions once you visit. Or the deals are only for “first time” customers that others cannot access.
No Verifiable Company
The ads and linked website contain no identifiable information about an actual flower shop. No address, contact details, or examples of previous arrangements.
Recent Ad Creation
Scam flower ads are often new, created within the past month. Check the “Published” date for ads running suspicious flower deals.
Comments Disabled
Scammers prevent people from posting warnings about the ads by disabling comments on the Facebook ads. Authentic businesses allow and encourage comments.
Multiple Website Names
Facebook recognizes linked websites identified as scams and shuts down their ads. Scammers get around this by continuously creating new sites.
The next time you see a Facebook ad with an unbelievable flower deal, scrutinize it carefully for signs of a potential scam. Avoid providing any payment or personal information to suspicious flower vendors who lack verifiable details.
What to Do If You Are a Victim of SarataFlowers.com
If you placed an order with SarataFlowers.com and never received your flowers, you are likely the victim of their scam. Here are the steps you should take right away:
Report Them: File a scam report with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also report the Facebook ads to get them removed. The more reports there are, the higher the chance of regulatory action.
Dispute Payment: If you paid by credit card or PayPal, request a chargeback from your bank or open a dispute. Provide details about the scam and failure to receive ordered items. This can help you recover lost funds.
Warn Others: Leave negative reviews about Sarata Flowers online to spread awareness about the scam. Post on their Facebook ads informing others the deals are fake. This can prevent new victims.
Monitor Accounts: Check your credit card statements and bank account for any fraudulent charges. Scammers sometimes use stolen payment info for other purchases. Report any unauthorized charges promptly.
Adjust Privacy: Set your social media accounts to private to prevent scammers from targeting you with more fake deals in the future. Don’t engage if they reach out.
Learn From Experience: Use this incident as a lesson to be more vigilant against online scams going forward. Shopping directly from real brand sites is always the safest option.
With vigilance and quick action, you can minimize any losses from the Sarata Flowers scam. Don’t let them discourage you from buying flowers in the future. Just stick to reputable sources, and enjoy the beauty and joy flowers bring.
Frequently Asked Questions About SarataFlowers.com
What is SarataFlowers.com?
SarataFlowers.com is a scam website that pretends to sell flower arrangements and other gifts. It lures in victims with fake deals advertised on Facebook and other platforms.
How does the scam work?
The site posts ads for unbelievably low prices on flowers. When victims visit the site and try to purchase arrangements, Sarata Flowers collects their payment information. However, it never delivers any products to the customers.
What are some red flags of the scam?
Some signs that SarataFlowers.com is a scam include prices that are too good to be true (like $17 for a dozen roses), vague contact information, newly registered domain, and stolen images and content.
What happens after I place an order?
After submitting payment, Sarata Flowers will provide excuses for why your delivery is late. They may cite reasons like weather delays, inventory issues, or delivery driver problems. Eventually they stop responding without ever sending the ordered items.
Will they deliver the flowers I ordered?
No, Sarata Flowers will not deliver anything to you. The site is a complete scam designed only to steal people’s money. No real flower company is associated with the website.
Can I get a refund if I fall for the scam?
Unfortunately, Sarata Flowers will not provide any legitimate refunds. They will likely ignore refund requests. Your only recourse is to dispute the charges with your bank or payment provider.
Is SarataFlowers.com a real flower company?
No, it is completely fraudulent. There is no physical flower shop associated with the website. Any photos of flowers are stolen from other sites. All the deals and orders are fabricated.
How can I avoid this scam in the future?
Stick to large, well-known flower retailers that have an established reputation. Search for reviews before purchasing from unfamiliar sites. Avoid businesses with vague contact info and prices that seem too good to be true.
Where can I report this scam?
You can report SarataFlowers.com to the Federal Trade Commission and to Facebook if their ads are still running. Submit reviews detailing your experience to warn others.
The Bottom Line on SarataFlowers.com
SarataFlowers.com is a prime example of a pervasive type of scam – fraudulent delivery services. These sites advertise amazing deals on flowers, furniture, electronics, and other items that never arrive.
Their professional-looking websites and compelling social media ads lure in shoppers. But it’s all a facade to steal people’s money while providing nothing in return.
Luckily with awareness, these scams can be spotted and avoided. Look for things like unbelievable prices, newly created domains, and lack of detailed contact info. Any company that demands payment upfront but can’t prove legitimate operations should raise red flags.
If you do become a victim, take quick action to dispute payments and report the scam. Don’t suffer in silence out of embarrassment – these criminals count on that. Sharing your experience helps protect others.
Online shopping brings huge benefits but also risks like these elaborate scams. Stay vigilant, exercise common sense, and verify seller reputations before providing payment information. A deal too good to be true almost certainly is when it comes to online offers. Apply healthy skepticism and you can enjoy the convenience of online shopping while avoiding becoming the next victim.
