INDIANAPOLIS The Better Business Bureau is seeing an increase in complaints about social media ads and the products they sell.Many people click on ads as theyre scrolling through social media.You see some advertised shoes, a gri ll, maybe some home tools, said Trinity Rairdon, a spokesperson for the BBB Serving Central Indiana. It could be literally anything.Rairdon said theyre receiving complaints that people make a purchase, yet receive nothing or something really cheap.She recommends to inspect which shopping website youre using.I've also noticed that a lot of these scam websites will either mimic one that we are very familiar with, so I always tell consumers to look at URLs, said Rairdon. There might be like one letter off, or maybe there's an extra letter of the name, and so when people think that they're going to a legitimate company website, it can look really, really similar. You can look up when a website was created here: https://lookup.icann.org/en.You can also research any business on the BBBs website.If you dont get what you pay for, you can file a dispute with your credit card company.I would say that you should exercise a ton of caution, said Rairdon. Anything that you're going to punch your credit card into, you should treat very carefully. It's almost like throwing your money at a stranger or doing business with a stranger.Before buying, do a quick online search using the companys name and the words complaints, reviews and scam to see what other customers are saying.It sounds really risky because it is, said Rairdon. You want to treat a website that pops up on social media like doing business with a stranger.TIPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF:         Be a savvy shopper.When shopping online, take your time and read the fine print before submitting your order. Look for the return policy; although many online orders can be returned for a full refund, others have restocking fees. Some items cannot be returned; know before you buy.         Protect personal information.Read a sites privacy policy and understand what personal data is requested and how it will be used. If a site doesnt have a privacy policy, thats a big red flag that it may be a scam.         Think before you click.Be especially cautious about email solicitations and online ads on social media sites. Many sketchy retailers advertise great deals or trendy clothing that doesnt match the promotional hype. ...read more read less