Online shopping losses top list of scams during COVID-19 pandemic

Online shopping scams have become the No. 1 most-reported coronavirus-related scams nationwide and in Utah. SocialCatfish.com found that 173 such scams have been reported in Utah since the pandemic began, costing Utahns $433,000.

The social media monitoring website said that, as of Aug. 10, coronavirus scammers broke the $105 million mark in losses to consumers. It said the surge in online shopping during the pandemic has led to the unprecedented rise. More than 24,500 online shopping scams have been reported.

SocialCatfish.com released the study, "State of Coronavirus Scams in America" based on data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The most common type of scams in Utah are online shopping, travel/vacations, credit cards, mobile and text messages and healthcare.