{"id":2496,"date":"2026-06-04T05:05:39","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T05:05:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=2496"},"modified":"2026-06-04T05:05:39","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T05:05:39","slug":"america-250-merchandise-scams-bbb-warns-of-fake-online-products","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=2496","title":{"rendered":"America 250 merchandise scams: BBB warns of fake online products"},"content":{"rendered":"

TAMPA, Fla.<\/strong> – <\/span>With the country\u2019s 250th birthday celebration approaching, patriotic merchandise is flying off the shelves, but consumer watchdogs warn that scammers are taking advantage of the patriotic spending spree.<\/p>

Read more Clearwater police officer, Marine veteran trains four days a week for world shooting competition<\/a><\/p>

Better Business Bureau scam warnings<\/h2>

What we know:<\/p>

<\/div>

According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving West Florida, scammers are placing America 250 logos on various products, including wreaths, whiskey decanters, hats, and T-shirts.\u00a0<\/p>

“The advertisement for that product looks great and looks very pristine and high-end,” Bryan Oglesby of the Better Business Bureau serving West Florida said. “But when the consumers receive the product, it\u2019s flimsy garbage. It\u2019s not what they expected.”<\/p>

The organization says some online purchases never arrive at all.<\/p>

Unverified online America 250 products<\/h2>

What we don’t know:<\/p>

It is unclear exactly how many shoppers have fallen victim to these counterfeit items across the country.\u00a0<\/p>

The Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker shows reports of fake merchandise, but the total financial impact of these online and social media scams remains unclear.<\/p>

Shopping local for authentic goods<\/h2>

Local perspective:<\/p>

Karen Post, president of the Tampa-based interior design studio Home Frosting, decided to create Prosperity Pillows for the summer celebration.\u00a0<\/p>

Post went through the process to obtain the official America 250 trademark for her merchandise.<\/p>

Read more Hundreds gather for rare Queen of the Night cactus bloom in downtown Sarasota<\/a><\/p>

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n <\/div>

“I thought, \u2018I\u2019ve got to be a part of this once in a lifetime experience,\u2019” Post said.\u00a0<\/p>

Post said shopping locally helps consumers avoid counterfeit products while supporting American-made businesses.\u00a0<\/p>

Tampa interior design studio efforts<\/h2>

Why you should care:<\/p>

“Our products are made here in the United States,” Post said. “Every piece, the fabrics, the trims, the printing was done in St. Petersburg, the charms in Rhode Island.”<\/p>

Post’s shop also sells candles made in Mississippi, as well as shirts, necklaces, and hand-painted ornaments from North Carolina.<\/p>

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n <\/div>

Big picture view:<\/p>

Obtaining the official trademark connected Post with other small businesses across the country.\u00a0<\/p>

A portion of every sale at her shop benefits Tunnel to Towers, an organization that provides mortgage-free homes to families of fallen military members and first responders.<\/p>

Read more Hillsborough County detectives investigating deaths of man and woman found near Plant City: HCSO<\/a><\/p>

Avoiding fake America 250 products<\/h2>

What you can do:<\/p>

The BBB recommends consumers research websites before making purchases online.<\/p>

Experts say shoppers should:<\/p>

  • Check the website URL carefully<\/span><\/li>
  • Research reviews and complaints<\/span><\/li>
  • Verify where the company is based<\/span><\/li>
  • Be cautious of social media ads<\/span><\/li>
  • Shop local when possible<\/span><\/li><\/ul> <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    With the country\u2019s 250th birthday celebration approaching, patriotic merchandise is flying off the shelves, but consumer watchdogs warn that scammers are taking advantage of the patriotic spending spree.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2493,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[274,6,13],"tags":[275,8,14],"class_list":["post-2496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-america-250","category-crime-and-public-safety","category-tampa","tag-america-250","tag-crime-and-public-safety","tag-tampa"],"yoast_head":"\nAmerica 250 merchandise scams: BBB warns of fake online products - Tampa moving journal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=2496\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"America 250 merchandise scams: BBB warns of fake online products - 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