Top 10 scams of 2021 revealed by Better Business Bureau

The Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois has shared its annual list of the top 10 scams of 2021.

"Scammers have been notorious for taking advantage of any current events and news, and unfortunately, the pandemic has been no exception," said Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of BBB of Chicago and Northern Illinois. "This has been an opportunity for fraudsters to prey on people’s emotions and the huge increases in remote working and online shopping."

According to the BBB, online purchase scams are in the top slot for the second year in a row – adding the scams stem mostly from fake websites and pets are often used. 

Coming in at number two is phishing scams. The BBB said clicking on scams can lead to malware and imposter scams. 

The third of 2021 was employment and scam job offers, mostly jobs promising work from home. 

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The fourth slot went to counterfeit products like clothing, electronics, shoes and purses. 

At number five, fake invoices and supplier bills sent to businesses who sometimes pay without checking. 

Identity theft took the sixth slot, while sweepstakes and lottery scams scored the seventh – something new to the list. 

Debt collections came in at number eight, tech support and cryptocurrency, both new, scored the ninth and 10th slot. 

BBB urges anyone encountering a scam, whether they lose money or not, to report it to the BBB Scamtracker.