LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- Scammers are taking advantage of consumers shopping online for holiday decorations by using fake advertisements.

They track your online habits, create ads for holiday decor on websites and social media and target you with specific products.

Chris Babin, CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Acadiana, said scammers either have no intention of shipping the product to you or what you do receive is smaller, lower quality or not at all what your ordered.

"A lot of times it's going to be great prices for and, in some instances, hard to find items," Babin said. "They'll say that they have plenty of those; they do have those in stock. And what you actually receive is either are a lot smaller or a lot different item, a lot worse quality than you believed you'd be getting. But of course, you thought you were paying a good price, and it was just scammers trying to steal our money."

Here are some tips from the BBB to avoid holiday decoration scams:

• Do your research first. Search the company online and check their reviews. Make sure their contact information works.
• Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true. Large decorations that involve special lights and technology are more expensive and are more expensive to ship, too.
• Don't make quick purchases on social media. Scam advertisers can track your habits online, then target you with specific products, so don't buy anything on impulse.
• Use your credit card for online purchases. Credit card companies allow you to dispute a credit card charge, but maybe not a debit or gift card charge.

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