BBB warns of rise in scams involving Labubus

INDIANAPOLIS – Whenever an item becomes a must-have, you can be sure scammers are lining up to separate you from your money.

The Better Business Bureau warned people to be extra careful when buying Labubus.

The toys, based on a series of storybooks called “The Monsters,” are available in different size ranges and types, including plushies and figurines. They’ve been around since 2015 but really took off in 2019, when the artist behind them teamed up with Pop Mart, a Chinese toy manufacturer.

After that, they exploded in popularity and became fashion accessories. They’re also sold in “blind boxes,” packages the buyer has to open to see which version they actually received.

Certain Labubus are rare, and there’s a slight chance you’ll come across one of them. People will pay a premium to get rare items—and that attracts criminals.

Just last week, thieves broke into a Los Angeles store and stole thousands of dollars in Labubus.

Labubu-related scams are on the rise, according to the Better Business Bureau. So far, the BBB Scam Tracker has received 71 reports from people who’ve run into problems buying Labubus. They’ve either received counterfeits or nothing at all.

In many cases, the scammers are creating fake websites and selling the toys through social media.

According to one report, a customer ordered one for a child’s birthday from a web-based store on TikTok. The customer realized it was all a scam when the toy never arrived and the storefront no longer existed.

Another customer bought six items from a site and waited 7-14 days for shipping. When the shipping window passed, the customer reached out for support. The toys eventually arrived, but despite promises they were authentic, they were cheaply made knockoffs of poor quality.

The BBB offered the following tips to avoid getting scammed:

• Shop from reputable retailers. If you’re shopping for toys, you want to ensure you’re getting the right products. Counterfeit products can lead to health and safety risks. Shop for toys at reputable retailers that you know and are familiar with. Check with BBB.org to read customer reviews and check BBB ratings. BBB Accredited Businesses follow BBB’s Standards for Trust. You can find trusted online businesses by looking for the BBB Seal.
• Use caution when clicking on sponsored ads. You may come across an ad on social media promoting a sale on this season’s hot toy. Or, when doing an online search, you may see that the top search result is promoting a big sale. Scammers are taking advantage of sponsored or promoted ad spots on search engines and social media to trick online shoppers. Before you purchase anything online, always check that you are on a real and secure website.
• Be wary of too-good-to-be-true deals. If the product you want is extremely discounted, think twice before purchasing. Highly discounted merchandise is a red flag for a fake website or counterfeit products.
• Read customer reviews. It’s always a good idea to read customer reviews before making a purchase. If the website doesn’t show any, do an online search for reviews on other sites like BBB.org.
• Do your research. If you’re on an unfamiliar website, before you click purchase, do your research on the website. Do an online search with the website name and “scam,” or check to see if there are any reports on BBB Scam Tracker.
• Use secure and traceable payment methods. Credit cards typically offer additional protection if you are scammed. Be wary if the website you’re on asks you to pay with a peer-to-peer payment app.