Understand How Tariffs Work to Avoid Online Shopping Scams

“Not everybody is an international finance expert and understands trade laws and tariffs,” says BBB spokesperson Melanie McGovern. “Unfortunately, scammers rely on us not knowing, and that we’ll just blindly pay for things that aren’t real.”

Adds McKenna: “People don’t understand tariffs, so when you get a message saying, ‘You owe money, and you’ve got to pay it this week,’ people can be like, ‘Oh, OK.’ When you’ve ordered something and you’ve already spent $300 or $400, paying another $50 to get it can seem reasonable.” 

So how do tariffs work?

U.S.-imposed tariffs are taxes applied to imported goods, paid by the American companies that buy those products. This can lead to higher prices: “Most economists find that the bulk of tariff costs are passed on to consumers,” notes the Council on Foreign Relations. U.S. consumers are not typically required to pay tariffs after placing an order, according to the BBB; however, if you buy from an international seller, you may encounter unexpected fees. NBC News reported in September that some U.S. shoppers “are being hit with surprise charges from international shipping carriers.… On August 29, for the first time in nearly a century, small-dollar items coming into the U.S. — also called de minimis goods — began facing import duties.”

This kind of uncertainty — is that added charge legitimate? — is precisely why scammers are using tariffs as a tool for their crimes.

“We see this a lot: Anything that’s in the news, scammers will try to exploit it, especially something as confusing as tariffs,” says McGovern. Consider this: In the first three months of 2025, when President Donald Trump began imposing an ever-changing array of tariffs on goods from countries around the world, cybercriminals registered 301 tariff-related domains, according to a report from cybersecurity company BforeAI.

How to protect yourself

Scrutinize sellers. “If you’re on eBay or one of these marketplaces, it’s more important than ever to look for reputable sellers,” says McKenna. Search online to explore a seller’s history and reputation, check the BBB’s website for complaints, review sellers’ terms and conditions, and see if they have an FAQ page or a live chat for handling questions. “Legitimate retailers will answer all of your questions,” McGovern says. “If you’re not comfortable, find another site that has that information and doesn’t seem like they’re being evasive.”

Be skeptical about tariff-related delays. “Most legitimate retailers are usually up front about shipping time,” McGovern says. “They give you live links to legitimate shipping companies to show you where your package is.” A scammer or illegitimate seller will often use “buzzwords from the news to confuse the person who purchased the item,” she adds. “They’ll say, ‘Oh, it’s tariffs’ or ‘It’s stuck in customs,’ when in some cases there’s no item at all.”

Don’t pay post-purchase fees. Some businesses may apply tariff surcharges, but legitimate companies won’t charge you after your purchase. “Most companies will show [fees] at the point of sale,” McGovern says. If a company claims your package is stuck in customs or requests additional payment due to tariffs, that’s a major red flag, according to the BBB.

Ignore tariff-relief offers. Sorry, but tariff-relief programs do not exist. “There are no rebates or conversion programs,” says McKenna. “If you see those on Facebook or you get a pop-up saying that you can get up to $750 back for tariffs you paid, those are all scams and fraud.” Watch for impersonation scams where scammers claim to represent the U.S. government. Scrutinize the URLs and email addresses. Government emails and websites will always use the extension .gov.

Share your story. If you experience a tariff-related fraud, file a complaint with the BBB and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov). You might not receive a response, but it’s important for law enforcement to have enough information to spot patterns that can help them identify perpetrators and warn the public.

You can also call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline for questions about scams and advice following a scam.