Package delayed for tariffs? It may be a scam.
Package delayed for tariffs? It may be a scam.
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Find the best shopping deals with Google, camelcamelcamel, price matching
Take these small steps to make sure you're getting big savings.
Problem Solved
Do you have a package you've been waiting on and the company keeps giving you the runaround or says there are delays due to tariffs? Be careful, it could be a sign of a scam, warns the Better Business Bureau.
"Before you place an order with an unfamiliar retailer, make sure to check where the package originates, the time frames for delivery, return policies, and any fees that may be associated with the purchase," said Melanie McGovern, spokeswoman for the BBB.
"Scammers rely on consumer confusion, especially when it comes to topics in the news, so doing a little bit extra to make sure the website is legitimate, and that all costs are upfront, can save headaches down the road," McGovern told USA TODAY.
Vague delivery details could signal a scam
Here's how the scam works, according to the BBB:
You see an ad online for something you want, and you proceed to the seller's website. The site looks professional, the price seems reasonable, and checkout is quick and easy. But then, your order never arrives.
Savvy shoppers: These shoppers are scoring 80% off home goods, electronics: Here's how
When you follow up with the seller, you might get vague, automated emails urging you to 'be patient.' Then comes the explanation: Your package is stuck due to tariffs, customs delays, or new international shipping regulations. In some cases, the company says you now owe additional money to release the package. Other times, they provide a tracking number showing the item was delivered – but to a completely different state.
One consumer reported to BBB Scam Tracker: "After 2 months of not receiving my product I have emailed this company multiple times and each time the reply is my package is stuck in customs due to... tariffs. I have requested a refund multiple times. I have no longer gotten any replies from this apparently fake company.'
How to shop with caution online and avoid scams
Here are some tips from the BBB:
Look beyond the ad. Scammers can pay for sponsored ads on social media or search engines just like legitimate businesses. Always research a company first, especially if you haven't heard of them.
Scammers can pay for sponsored ads on social media or search engines just like legitimate businesses. Always research a company first, especially if you haven't heard of them. Check the reviews – all of them. Don't rely only on what you see in the ad's comment section. Look up the business name with words like 'scam' or 'complaint' and see what pops up.
Don't rely only on what you see in the ad's comment section. Look up the business name with words like 'scam' or 'complaint' and see what pops up. Inspect the website carefully. Look for misspellings, poor grammar, or URLs that are suspicious. A site that looks polished can still be fake, especially if it is advertised through a sponsored social media post.
Look for misspellings, poor grammar, or URLs that are suspicious. A site that looks polished can still be fake, especially if it is advertised through a sponsored social media post. Use a credit card for online purchases. Credit cards often offer stronger fraud protection than debit cards or payment apps. If you don't receive your product, you're more likely to be able to dispute the charge successfully.
Credit cards often offer stronger fraud protection than debit cards or payment apps. If you don't receive your product, you're more likely to be able to dispute the charge successfully. Avoid paying extra fees after checkout. Once you've completed a purchase, legitimate sellers won't ask for additional shipping or customs payments. If they do, stop communication, contact your credit card provider, and report to BBB Scam Tracker.
Once you've completed a purchase, legitimate sellers won't ask for additional shipping or customs payments. If they do, stop communication, contact your credit card provider, and report to BBB Scam Tracker. Be suspicious of tariff-related excuses. U.S. consumers are not typically required to pay tariffs after placing an order. If a company says your package is stuck in customs or asks for additional payment due to tariffs, that's a major red flag.
U.S. consumers are not typically required to pay tariffs after placing an order. If a company says your package is stuck in customs or asks for additional payment due to tariffs, that's a major red flag. Save copies of order details. Keep screenshots of the ad, confirmation email, and tracking info in case you need to file a dispute with your credit card company or report the scam.
Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at blinfisher@USATODAY.com or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher and @blinfisher.bsky.social on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays, here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Google Going to Trial After Doing Something Super Sketchy to Android Users
In the information age, data is gold — and Google has enough to make King Midas blush. But in this new economic paradigm, all that data comes at a price: privacy lawsuits. To amass its wealth, Google's been caught collecting personal information from users even in incognito mode, tracking location data even when location tracking is off, collecting children's personal information in violation of child safety laws, and selling millions of Americans' health data to a healthcare conglomerate — and that's just a taste. Now, Reuters reports that Google's going to trial in California after a class action lawsuit representing some 14 million state residents alleged the company gathered personal data from their phones even when they were off. The suit alleges that Google enables Android phones to send and receive info "for Google's own purposes," draining users' cellular data as they do. While the California suit is unique for going to trial, it's just one of 50 separate state class action lawsuits being brought against the tech company. Altogether, there are billions of dollars on the line. It's a big case with some major implications: can the companies that sell our phones — and in Google's case with Android, create the underlying operating system — decide whether or not we can ever turn them off? Google's response is telling. Rather than deny that it had collected data on powered-off Androids, it's saying that Android users gave their consent to Google's "passive" data harvesting when they agreed to the company's terms of service agreement, which is required to use the phone. Google is also challenging the core of the plaintiffs' argument — basically, that cell phone data doesn't count as personal property under California law. And if it isn't, then there's nothing wrong with Google taking it without permission. Ultimately, there's a lot of money riding in how the state classifies that nebulous data. George Zelcs, a lawyer representing the plantiffs, told Reuters that Android users aren't arguing against data collection when the phones are on and the apps are fired up. Instead, he notes that "these phone users unknowingly subsidize the same Google advertising business that earns over $200 billion a year." Googles usual tactic when it's caught nabbing data — to settle out of court for millions or sometimes billions of dollars — probably won't fly here, as the timeline reaches all the way back to 2016. With millions of defendants and unfathomable quantities of data at play, any sort of settlement is likely to run in the "tens of billions," according to Reuters. Time will tell whether that's less costly than if Google were to lose all that juicy data altogether. More on law: A Mother Says an AI Startup's Chatbot Drove Her Son to Suicide. Its Response: the First Amendment Protects "Speech Allegedly Resulting in Suicide"
CNET
an hour ago
- CNET
What Is Agentic AI? Everything to Know About Artificial Intelligence Agents
You've probably heard a lot about ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, image generators and AI writing tools. But there's a new term making the rounds: agentic AI. And while it might sound like another buzzword, it's not a new invention. Recent advances, however, have made it far easier to build, deploy and interact with these kinds of systems. Some of them you might have already seen at work, like customer service banking bots, self-driving cars and smart home assistants. If you're using Perplexity in the US as a Pro subscriber, a perfect example is its "Buy with Pro" feature. Rather than assisting with your shopping and handing you off to a retailer, it collects your preferences, processes the transaction (sometimes even selecting the best available retailer) and uses your stored payment and shipping information to complete the order. Experts say it's time to start paying attention to what these AI agents are capable of doing on their own, though widespread use across industries will take time before AI agents become mainstream. Unlike AI chatbots, which often require explicit instructions at each step, AI agents can break down complex objectives into smaller, manageable actions. So instead of simply responding to your questions or prompts, agentic AI is designed to take initiative. That means understanding its environment, making decisions and acting without human direction at every step. So what does that look like in practice, and how is it different from what artificial intelligence is already doing? I spoke to several experts and will break down everything you need to know about agentic AI -- including whether it can be trusted. From passive tools to proactive agents Self-driving cars like the Zoox robotaxi are examples of agentic AI. Zoox Agentic AI systems aren't passive tools waiting for input. They operate in a cycle to sense the environment, decide what to do, and then act. That structure makes them more autonomous and lets them take on complex, goal-oriented tasks across multiple systems. "Agentic AI…is now making this sort of sense-decide-act loop available to everybody," Peter Stone, professor at the University of Texas and chief scientist at Sony AI America, told me. "Rather than waiting for the input-output behavior, you're able to task a program with sensing the world, deciding what to do and actually acting." Ankur Patel, CEO and founder of enterprise agentic AI company Multimodal, called it "a fundamental shift from reactive tools to proactive systems capable of complex decision-making." He gave an example of a loan underwriter who might otherwise spend hours cross-referencing pay stubs, tax returns and credit reports. "The AI agent automatically ingests and validates hundreds of data points from diverse sources. Think bank feeds, HR systems and government databases, while flagging inconsistencies like mismatched employment dates," Patel told me. In other words, it's not mere automation. "Agentic AI connects complex, multisource inputs with internal rules or manuals, and gives accurate, critical outputs in much shorter time frames," Patel explained. What makes agentic AI different from generative AI and chatbots? MF3d/Getty Images Generative AI creates content such as text, images, music and even videos, based on what it learned during training and your prompt. Agentic AI can use those same models, but adds a layer of autonomy with reasoning and planning to proactively achieve goals through a sequence of actions. A generative AI tool might write you a vacation itinerary. AI agents could plan the trip, book your flights, reserve the hotel and even rebook everything if your flight gets delayed or canceled. Large language models, like ChatGPT or Claude, can become agentic when connected to external tools, sensors or APIs. This ability to interact with the world (either physical or digital) is what makes the difference. While systems like ChatGPT and Siri are designed to answer questions, agentic AI is built to solve problems. "Chatbots answer questions. Agentic AI solves problems by turning insights into outcomes," Patel said. That means orchestrating tasks across platforms. "For example, it can verify documents, assess risks and even trigger real-world actions like loan approvals or insurance payouts." Automation vs. augmentationLike most new tech, agentic AI raises concerns about jobs. Will it replace workers, or help them do their jobs better? Stone said the answer isn't simple. "Usually, when people say automation, they're thinking of replacing jobs. When people say augmentation, they're thinking of changing jobs, making them more efficient," Stone said. He compared it to the transition from hand-washing dishes in a restaurant to using a dishwasher -- there's still a human in the loop, but they're doing less of the repetitive labor. Another relatable example is correspondence. While writing letters by hand and sending them via snail mail might trigger nostalgia in romantic folks like me, we now send messages and emails instantly from smartphones. Patel agreed that agentic systems free people up from the grunt work. "It's unfortunate that a lot of man hours even today are spent on drudgery," he said. "Good AI can take care of them without needing much supervision." For Patel, the bigger risk is falling behind. "The question isn't 'will AI take my job?' It's 'will I be working alongside AI or getting outpaced by those who do?'" While that might sound daunting to anyone hesitant about the shift, AI is advancing fast enough that it feels inevitable. Where you might see agentic AI in action Google's new AI Mode is agentic AI in action. Google/Screenshot by CNET Enterprise software vendors are already rolling out agentic systems in industries like: Robotics: Autonomous robots that can navigate and perform tasks in complex environments. Software development: AI agents that can write and debug code independently. Customer service: Advanced chatbots that can resolve complex issues without human assistance. Supply chain: AI agents that manage inventory, forecast demand and optimize delivery routes. Manufacturing: Systems that monitor equipment, detect defects and streamline production lines. Cybersecurity: Agents that detect threats, isolate risks and respond in real time. Insurance: AI agents that process claims, assess risk and draft responses. Banking: Systems that verify income, credit and approve loans. Healthcare: Tools that flag anomalies, suggest diagnoses and draft notes. AI agents in these industries process documents, extract data, flag inconsistencies and route information with minimal human intervention. But, you don't have to work in any of these sectors to notice it. Opera's agentic web browser and Google's new agentic search, called AI Mode, aim to help you go from inspiration to purchase without clicking through pages of results. AI assistants that can book your travel, manage your inbox or compare online deals are all signs of what's coming in the consumer sector as well. Even Microsoft is adding an AI agent to Windows that can change system settings for you. Patel says everyday users should care for three reasons: "First, it gives people their most precious resource back -- time. Second, it vastly improves customer experience. Third, it prevents costly human errors." That said, there are still limitations. AI agents struggle in open-ended or unpredictable environments, especially when tasks lack clear structure or context. They also depend heavily on well-formed prompts or goals. Meaning, vague input can lead to irrelevant or faulty actions. Can it be trusted? Autonomy brings benefits, but also risks. When systems make decisions or take action without supervision, what happens if something goes wrong? And who is responsible? Is it the person using the AI, or the company/developers that built it? Legal dilemmas continuously expand with these AI advancements. Stone also warns that the risks aren't hypothetical. "The new type of risk… is not a person acting incorrectly or irresponsibly as a result of what the AI advises, but rather the AI system actually taking a dangerous action," he told me. Say you let an autonomous car drive itself, it can do more than just suggest a route and cause harm if it malfunctions or has you drive in circles in a parking lot like this unfortunate passenger. The stakes depend on what the AI is allowed to do. Booking a low-cost flight? Low risk. Accessing medical records or spending thousands of dollars? Much higher. "The risk is directly related to the space of actions and the agency or autonomy that you give to the agent," Stone emphasized. Patel pointed out that safeguards are essential, especially in regulated industries. "To truly trust AI, it needs to have detailed audit trails and decision logs, process documentation, confidence scoring, and the ability to route decisions to humans where absolutely necessary," he said. What's next? While the hype around agentic AI is rising fast, don't expect to hand over your entire life to AI agents anytime soon. It will take years for most agentic AI systems to be tailored to specific industries or problems, not one-size-fits-all assistants. "There's a real chance that by demanding perfection from autonomous agents, we're missing an opportunity to do a lot better than the status quo," Stone said. "I think we need to accept that there are going to be mistakes. But they're going to get better over time." And so, the direction is clear. We're moving from AI that chats with us to AI that does things for us. Add robotics to the mix, and it's a whole new ballgame. FAQs What is agentic AI? Agentic AI is artificial intelligence that can independently make decisions and take actions to achieve a goal. Instead of waiting for step-by-step commands, AI agents decide what needs to be done and take action across systems with minimal human involvement. What are the key characteristics of agentic AI?
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Keever SEO Named Best SEO Company of 2025 in Tidewater News Annual Industry Report
Tidewater News Ranks Keever SEO as the #1 SEO service for proven rankings, ethical practices, and verified client success. Keever SEO has been named the #1 SEO Company of 2025 by Tidewater News, following an independent industry audit of the nation's top-performing digital marketing firms. Featured in the outlet's highly anticipated annual report, 'Top 10 Best SEO Companies to Boost Your Business,' the list spotlights agencies delivering transformational results in search engine visibility, and this year, Keever SEO secured the top ranking based on its innovation, performance, and client impact. Tidewater News, a respected authority in business and technology reporting, evaluated more than 50 SEO agencies across the U.S. using a weighted scorecard. Ranking factors included organic search performance, client retention, content execution, and return on investment. Keever SEO was recognized for its data-driven methodology, customized campaigns, and consistent Page 1 placements across Google's most competitive search terms. 'As search has become the modern storefront, ranking on Google is mission-critical,' said Scott Keever, Founder and CEO of Keever SEO. 'This recognition from Tidewater reflects our commitment to helping clients dominate their markets through strategy, transparency, and performance.' What Is SEO and Why It's Essential in 2025 Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of increasing a website's visibility in organic search engine results. In today's hyper-competitive digital economy, securing a Page 1 position on Google is often the difference between scaling a business or being left behind. According to Tidewater News, 2025 marks a decisive shift in how businesses allocate their marketing budgets-away from short-lived paid ads and toward sustainable, organic search strategies. Leading firms like Keever SEO are helping clients achieve long-term growth through technical audits, expert content development, strategic link building, and online reputation enhancement. About Keever SEO Founded in 2015, Keever SEO is a nationally recognized digital marketing agency specializing in search engine optimization, online reputation management, and PPC advertising. With offices in Miami, Cincinnati, and Tampa, the agency serves a diverse range of clients-from local service providers to high-profile individuals and enterprise-level brands. Known for its hands-on approach and ethical SEO practices, Keever SEO has built a reputation for delivering measurable results through customized, algorithm-safe strategies. About the Founder: Scott Keever Scott Keever is an internationally recognized SEO strategist and the founder of Keever SEO. A member of the Forbes Agency Council and the Entrepreneur Leadership Network, Keever has helped hundreds of companies climb to the first page of Google through strategic, long-term SEO execution. He's frequently featured in publications such as Entrepreneur, Metro Times, and Fast Company, and consistently ranks on lists of the best SEO consultants in the U.S. and abroad. His leadership has positioned Keever SEO as one of the most trusted and effective digital agencies in the industry. Media Contact: John Lancing Cheif Editor contact@ View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
