Beware of wedding dress rip-offs

(WXYZ) - In this tough economy of ours, many brides-to-be are doing what they can to save some money on their wedding dress! But we've learned some of them are being taken... not getting what they think they ordered online.

It happened to Maria Ray. The designer dress she fell in love with retailed for $1200, too expensive for her budget. So she searched online, found it for $400 and ordered it immediately.

But what she got was a terrible replica dress with a mishmash of unglued lace, a floppy corset top and a rusty pin that poked her when she tried the dress on.

"I emailed them back and said 'Are you crazy? Do you think I will wear this on my wedding day?'"

Though the company's website boasted a 7 day money back return policy, she sent the dress back and never got her money.

Independent consumer review website "site jabber" reports a huge spike in wedding dress scams... and the FTC says it's gotten "scores" of complaints.

Other women like Natasha Dennisuk found her dream dress online. The original was $6400, but a seller was offering it for $1850, saying she lost her fiance in a car accident. Natasha wired her money (big red flag!!!) and never got the gown!

How can you avoid being ripped off?

Always pay with a credit, not debit card and never wire money!

Also, if you're searching online for a dress, be sure you research the dress company! Look for consumer reviews and also plug in the dress company's address into google maps. Use the satellite view and see what the place looks like. Is it a parking lot or a p.o. box? Another obvious red flag. You may also want to call the customer service number, try talking to the reps and see if you feel comfortable with them.