Manitoba holiday dcor scam: What consumers should know before buying online [Video]

‘Tis the season to deck the halls with boughs of holly, tinsel, ornaments, nutcrackers, and a litany of other holiday-themed décor.

During this time so rife with online shopping for all things merry and bright, consumer protection advocates have issued a warning to the public to be careful of what they’re adding to their cart.

“The holiday spirit can sometimes be a bit of a dangerous thing, unfortunately, and these scammers really like to prey on it,” said Stefanie Lasuik with the Better Business Bureau of Central Canada.

Over the last few years, BBB noted online scams rose by as much as 180 per cent in central Canada during the holiday season.

Consumers have reported a range of complaints about online holiday décor purchases. In some cases, the product they received pales in comparison to what was advertised online, and in others, the consumer received nothing at all after checking …