But there are other ways scammers can get your money . According to the report , which was based on 7,000 complaints filed to Fraud . org , credit cards were used 30 percent of the time in scams and debit cards 12 percent .
Last year showed a big jump in the use of gift cards , particularly iTunes cards . In 2016 , Fraud . org saw a 30 percent increase in complaints where the payment method included gift cards . In these cases , the victim is asked to load funds onto a gift card and then give the code and PIN number off the back of the card to the scammer , who then deducts funds from the card , leaving the consumer with little recourse to obtain a refund .
Fraud costs are on the rise . According to the report , the median loss was $ 600 last year , double the cost in 2015 . Romance scams , in which victims were in a friendship or relationship with the swindler , continued to be the most expensive , with a median loss of $ 2,000 .
For the fourth year in a row , internet merchandise scams topped the scam list , making up 30 percent of complaints reported to Fraud . org . Many consumers come into contact with these scams through merchandise advertised at deep discounts on a website , social media platform or internet forum , according to the NCL . Scammers offered the discounts on goods like iPhones , sneakers , luxury apparel , video game systems and pets .
In many cases , victims reported being contacted again after not receiving the goods and instructed to send more money to cover fake “ shipping ” or “ insurance ” charges .
Some examples of internet merchandise sales scams reported to Fraud . org :
� Anna in California paid $ 3,500 for a used Honda . The seller spoofed a third-party payment site , requesting the funds in iTunes gift cards . The car was never delivered . � John in Indiana paid $ 600 for a Rottweiler puppy named Roscoe , who never arrived . � Jennifer in Texas bought nearly $ 400 worth of non-existent airline tickets through a fake site . � Irene in Chicago ordered NFL jerseys through a website claiming to be an official NFL gear vendor .
What arrived were clearly low-quality knockoffs .
The best way to avoid merchandise scams is to shop around , said an NCL spokesman . A price far below what other merchants are asking is a red flag .
“ The convenience of online shopping is simply unbeatable for many consumers ,” said John Breyault , director of Fraud . org . “ Obviously there are plenty of legitimate companies online , but there are also fraudulent sellers out to cheat consumers — and they are very good at what they do .”