NORTH CAROLINA — As the weather warms up, you may be looking for ways to make your home more inviting for friends and family — with new furniture or even personal items that only you will use, like a cellphone.

People are taking the cheaper route these days, buying used or "like new" products online.

But the Better Business Bureau says taking that route opens you up to a lot of risks, like your purchase never arriving.

BBB president and CEO Tom Bartholomy says scammers saw an opening during the pandemic when companies reported major delays in product manufacturing and delivery.

“If you wanted a new refrigerator, a new stove or some new furniture — you were told it could take 6-9 months before that would come!” he said. “So people turned to refurbished. And there are a number of legitimate, local people that sell refurbished goods.”

He added there are also a number of sites that claim to sell the same thing but are not legitimate. Once you hit that purchase button and submit your card information on the wrong site, it’s a done deal.

Bartholomy says do your research before you reach the point of no return.

“Checking on that company, doing some research, checking on bbb.org, making sure it’s a legitimate company, that’s going to be standing behind that product is really imperative in this kind of purchase,” he said.

The BBB recommends the following tips to avoid falling in the “too good to be true” trap:

• Examine a website before purchasing
• Ask about return policies
• Inquire about warranties
• Buy refurbished products directly from the manufacturer when possible
• Use a credit card to make purchase

You can search what scams have been reported, or report a scam yourself, on the BBB’s website.