When a big-box retailer information for chapter and goes out of enterprise, there’s typically a possibility to purchase its merchandise at rock-bottom costs. However scammers are benefiting from our love of a great deal: The Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) is warning shoppers about on-line clearance gross sales being marketed by fraudsters impersonating Joann Material and Crafts.
Joann Material and Crafts filed for Chapter 11 chapter (twice) and in February 2025 introduced plans to shutter its shops with going-out-of-business gross sales. On March 5, the enterprise disabled purchases on its web site, however scammers have been selling on-line clearance gross sales utilizing adverts on social media websites and working away with buyer funds.
How the Joann sale rip-off works
In response to the FTC discover, fraudsters are posting adverts for an internet Joann chapter sale on Fb, Pinterest, and Nextdoor. If you click on the advert, you may land on a pretend sale website with offers listed and the flexibility to truly “buy” stock gadgets. You will even get a receipt.
Sadly, that cash goes immediately into scammers’ pockets—the cost in your bank card shall be one thing apart from Joann, and you will not obtain what you ordered.
The way to keep away from on-line sale scams
Whether or not it is Joann’s going-out-of-business occasion or one other sale with supposedly nice offers, use warning earlier than shopping for. Scams of every kind prey on feelings based mostly in urgency, so do not instantly pull out your bank card for limited-time offers or too-good-to-be-true costs.
What do you assume up to now?
Do not click on on adverts for on-line gross sales—at all times go on to the corporate’s web site by typing within the URL to confirm {that a} sale is actual. In Joann’s case, there’s a discover on the web site about fraudulent on-line gross sales that states, “There are not any different approved Joann procuring websites.”
When you do store clearance gross sales, pay with a bank card and hold receipts. Bank cards have extra protections than debit playing cards in instances of fraud and non-delivery of things you paid for—you possibly can dispute fees and obtain a refund.
