Mother's Day Scams: BBB Warns Long Islanders Of Fake Gifts, Shops

The Metro New York branch of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), a non-profit organization reviewing the trustworthiness of businesses, encouraged residents in the region to do their research when purchasing Mother’s Day gifts.

The BBB’s Tuesday, April 30 announcement comes after the organization announced that three Long Island florists were being investigated for running alleged scams.

One such business is on Long Island at Sarata Flowers, a Melville florist that, as of April 2024, has an “F” rating by the BBB and more than 500 complaints against it in the last year.

Consumers who ordered flowers from Sarata reported to the organization that the florist often canceled orders soon after they were placed and then failed to issue the promised refund.

Additionally, the BBB said that Sarata Flowers uses both the same address and phone number as two other “F”-rated Long Island florists — Roger Florist and Baby Blue Florist. Both Roger and Baby Blue have similar complaints filed against them to Sarata Flowers. 

The address provided by all three businesses is also reportedly the same address as a bank in Melville.

Shopping for jewelry – another popular Mother’s Day gift – can be just as tricky, the BBB warned.

The organization cited a Manhattan company, The M Jewelers Inc., as one such company to be wary of.

Though it has over 1 million followers on social media, the company has had 29 complaints filed in the last year relating to a lack of order fulfillment and unreliable customer service.

“Scammers anticipate that people will look for last-minute Mother’s Day gifts online and they can try to trick buyers with phony deals. Before you buy, check the legitimacy and reliability of the business,” said Claire Rosenzweig, President & CEO of the BBB Serving Metropolitan New York.

“See what others have reported to BBB about a florist or jeweler before you order.”

The Better Business Bureau has been operating for over 110 years. On its website here, consumers can find ratings and information about millions of businesses across the US and Canada. 

Mother's Day is Sunday, May 12.

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