Bowling Green’s holiday season flipped on with twinkle lights around Fountain Square Park and lines snaking outside Greenwood Mall as WKU students and families chased doorbusters. But alongside the buzz, the Better Business Bureau is urging residents to slow down online. The BBB says it’s seeing a seasonal surge in Black Friday and Cyber Week scams across Kentucky—especially schemes seeded through social media ads, search results, and text messages.
With Cyber Monday deals rolling and local gift markets popping up downtown, experts say the best bargain is knowing how to spot a fake. A little caution—before you click, buy, or share—can keep your holiday budget (and your identity) intact.
What Scammers Are Pushing Right Now
The BBB warns that fraudsters mirror real retailers with lookalike websites and ads that promise hard-to-believe discounts on electronics, sneakers, and luxury brands. Another hot tactic: fake “order problem” texts or emails that impersonate UPS, USPS, FedEx, or big-box stores, steering you to enter passwords or payment details on a bogus page. Marketplace impostors also pop up on Facebook or Craigslist with scarce items, then demand gift cards, wire transfers, or peer-to-peer payments—methods that are hard to reverse.
Counterfeits remain a perennial headache, especially for toys and small appliances. Scammers also lean on urgency, showing countdown timers, “only 2 left” banners, and disappearing carts to push quick decisions. Charity appeals spike this time of year, too; criminals clone real nonprofits’ names or create soundalike versions to siphon Giving Tuesday donations.
Quick red flags:
Prices far below the market, vague contact info, or no physical address
Misspellings in URLs (amaz0n.co, bestbuiy.com) or no HTTPS lock icon
Pressure to pay with gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire, Zelle, or Cash App
Skimpy or copy-paste return policies; social pages with recent creation dates
Bowling Green Voices and Practical Know-How
Around downtown’s boutiques and pop-ups near Fountain Square, clerks say the most common customer question is whether a sale link is “official.” Local shop owners often remind shoppers they will never DM to ask for payment, and they post their verified handles and websites in-store. If you prefer to buy from local brands online, type the URL directly or navigate from the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce member directory rather than clicking ads.
On campus, WKU students juggling finals and flash sales can reduce risk with small tweaks: enable multi-factor authentication on email and shopping accounts, keep your phone and laptop updated, and turn on card transaction alerts. If a retailer offers a virtual card number in its app or through your bank, use it—that way your main number stays shielded.
Banks and credit unions around Warren County emphasize that credit cards offer stronger dispute protections than debit. If a seller insists on peer-to-peer payments or gift cards, treat it as a stop sign and walk away.
How to Shop Safer—Fast
Take a breath before you buy. Five minutes of checking can save weeks of headaches.
Verify the seller
Type the store URL yourself; avoid search-engine ads for brand names
Look up BBB profiles and complaint history and scan recent reviews
Check return and warranty policies; screenshot them before purchasing
Pay the smart way
Prefer credit cards or virtual card numbers; avoid gift cards and wires
Use a digital wallet (Apple Pay/Google Pay) for tokenized in‑person checkout
Turn on real-time bank alerts and set temporary spending limits
Secure your tech
Update devices and browsers; enable multi-factor authentication
Use unique passwords via a manager; don’t reuse your email password
Shop on private Wi‑Fi or a cellular connection, not open hotspots
Delivery and pickup
Choose in-store pickup or hold-at-location for high-value items
Require signature on delivery when possible; track packages from the carrier’s official site or app
Budget and boundaries
Make a list, set a cap, and stick to trusted stores for big-ticket buys
Be cautious with buy-now-pay-later; late fees and returns can get tricky
Accessibility notes: Many national retailers offer curbside pickup and receipt emails, which can be easier for mobility or low-vision shoppers to manage. If a website is not screen-reader-friendly, call the local store for phone ordering or use the brand’s official app, which often has better accessibility support.
Report it fast (free resources)
BBB Scam Tracker: file and search reports at bbb.org/scamtracker
BBB Business Profiles: research stores and dispute help via bbb.org
Kentucky Attorney General Consumer Protection: ag.ky.gov (complaints and tips)
Federal Trade Commission: reportfraud.ftc.gov (federal reporting and guidance)
City of Bowling Green resources: bgky.org (local departments and contacts)
WKU students: start at wku.edu/it for security tips and support
Community Efforts to Keep Shoppers Informed
The BBB says it will continue pushing holiday alerts, scam spotlights, and safe-shopping checklists through December, including reminders about fake shipping updates, bogus charity appeals, and end-of-year clearance traps. Local merchants are also reinforcing clear refund policies, posting official contact info, and reminding customers that they’ll never ask for payment details over direct message.
Regional partnerships—with consumer agencies and law enforcement—aim to make reporting easier and faster. When residents flag scams quickly, patterns emerge, platforms take down bad actors faster, and neighbors avoid the same trap. Share alerts with parents, grandparents, roommates, and group chats—word-of-mouth travels faster than any scam.
What to Watch
Cyber Week deals run all week, and shipping-notice phishing tends to spike right after big sale days—be extra skeptical of unexpected “order problems.” As returns season begins, expect fake customer-service numbers to rise in search results; always navigate from official brand sites. After the holidays, watch for tax-refund scams to kick off in January.