When trying to determine if a certain online offer is a scam, the first thing we want to look at is the URL, or the Uniform Resource Locator, which is also known as a web address.
Is there anything suspicious about the URL in question like misspellings, out of place characters or words, or anything strange?
The URL for Step 2 Kids Toys is step2toysale.cc.
This URL is suspicious. A reputable company would probably buy a domain which contains the company name, Step 2 Kids Toys.
Moreover, most reputable websites go with a .com TLD (Top Level Domain). The fact they chose a .cc is a warning sign.
.cc would have been appropriate if the company was located in the the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, an Australian territory or the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, where .cc is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD).
It is true that .cc is also administered by VeriSign, through eNIC, a subsidiary company, and promoted as “the next .com,” however, this has not happened yet, and currently many scams have been using it (e.g., CryptoBanker.)
After additional checks, we were able to find they also have a mirror at step2toysale.com.
Preliminary Checks
Next, we run a few checks on the URL in question to learn more about its history and performance.
We learn that the domains step2toysale.com and step2toysale.cc were created on April 27 and unless renewed will expire exactly one year later.
Right here are two additional scam signs:
- The domain is very new. Just one week old at the time of writing this review.
- It was only registered for one year. Scam websites are often only registered for the shortest period possible because they burn out so quickly thanks to review sites like ScamFinance.com.
Website
Now, we’re ready to visit the website.
The first thing we notice is that it takes a long time to load. A reputable site will usually not be so slow.
According to Google PageSpeed Insights, it took over 4 seconds to load on mobile. For us, it seems to have taken even longer.
Next, we look at the address bar and see the site does not have an SSL certificate (it’s http://step2toysale.cc and not https://…) and that the connection is not secure.
This means that any information you enter, including payment and personal information in case you make a purchase or create an account may be visible to others and is not encrypted.
You should never make any purchase or leave your personal information in a website that does not begin with a https://.
There’s even some placeholders on the homepage, indicating the owners’ did not even finish creating the website. For example, there’s a red box that says “call_to_action.” That’s probably where the template indicated a call to action should be placed.
We could end this review here with a strong dis-recommendation, however, let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and move on and check out Step 2 Kids Toys’ About page.
It says:
Step2 is the largest American manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys and the world’s largest rotational molder of plastics. It’s our mission to be the leading innovator of children’s products that build imaginations and enrich the family’s celebration of childhood. Step2 proudly employs moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles and everyone in between right here in Ohio to create, market, and service products that bring family together. We boast two large US manufacturing plants in northern Ohio, one in Streetsboro and one in Perrysville. Step2 products are distributed to select retailers throughout the US, Canada, and over 70 other countries.
So we got a company name (Step2) and two addresses:
- Perrysville, Ohio
- Streetsboro, Ohio
There are no exact addresses or other contact information except an email address: helpdesk@customercarefor. So not even a functional email address… Apparently, their domains do not even have mail servers.
According to Google Business, there is indeed a toy manufacturer by the name of Step2 in Perrysville, Ohio.
Their listed address: 2 Step 2 Dr, Perrysville, OH 44864
Phone: (419) 938-6343
There is also a listing for the corporate office of The Step2 Company, LLC. at:
10010 Aurora Hudson Rd, Streetsboro, OH 44241
Phone: (330) 656-0440
On the hstep2toysale.cc Contact us page a different address is listed:
24 Rue Charles Favre 24 Rue Charles Favre, 39260 Moirans-en-Montagne, France
A Google search reveals there may be a toy company at this address known as Smoby Toys.
You would expect that a reputable firm list the company’s full name and legal identity. No such thing can be found on step2toysale.cc, not even in the Privacy Notice document, in which the company is referred to as Roc, and in the Conditions of Use document, which lists Hong Kong International Arbitration Center (the “HKIAC”) as the body who will solve any disputes between the company and its clients.
A Google search revealed that their legal name might be The Step2 Company, LLC. Now it should be pretty simple to check if they are really a legal company in Ohio…
…and indeed there’s a company known as The Step2 Company (entity #777029) in Streetsboro, Ohio, but their status is Dead after they merged out of existence in 2006.
Then, there’s an entity #1615912, also known as The Step2 Company, LLC, which has been active in Columbus, Ohio since 2006.
Next, we take a look at the actual products listed on the site. We notice that the prices are very low. Recalling the old saying that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is, we are now even more convinced we’re dealing with an illegitimate website.
Payments are said to be accepted “through Visa, MasterCard, JCB.” We didn’t check if it’s correct but if it is, then it is good to news to anyone who has been scammed by this website since they can request a chargeback.
It should be obvious though that you ought to never pay with non-secure methods such as wire, bank or international funds transfers, money orders, pre-loaded gift cards, and cryptocurrency like Bitcoin.
Community
A Google search for “step2toysale” reveals there’s a legitimate company known as Step2 (https://www.step2.com), located at 10010 Aurora-Hudson Road Streetsboro, Ohio 44241. Telephone number: 1-866-429-5200.
We contacted them via Facebook and got the following response:
Someone is trying to scam people. We are aware and trying to get it taken down.
Step2ToySale Review Conclusion
Step2ToySale.cc (and their other domains, such as Step2ToySale.com) are being advertised as a cheap place to buy quality children toys.
A friend has reported seeing such an advertisement on Facebook.
Reporting to Facebook probably will not help. Remember that you as a FB user is a product, while scammers such as the people behind Step2 Toy Sale are the paying customers.
Therefore, be very cautious when clicking on any ads, and feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions or want to request a review of a specific website or company.
If you have any information regarding step2toysale and other scams targeting US persons, please let us know by commenting below or getting in touch with us.