Beware of toy scalpers buying up holiday hot ticket items, then reselling them at inflated prices

This holiday season there are many hot ticket items. Some are so hot, you can't even find them on store shelves or from major retailers online.

Instead, you can find these hot items for sale by third-party sellers who are charging a premium.

You've heard of ticket scalpers, well you also now have to watch out for toy scalpers that are scooping up the hot items this year as soon as they go on sale.

PlayStation 5 and Xbox series X/S are two of this year's most wanted holiday gifts. If you snag one for the retail price of $499.00, you hit the jackpot.

When both items first went on sale online, they sold out within minutes. Many of the consoles were bought by third-party sellers who buy and then jack up the prices on resale. We found a PlayStation 5 for sale on eBay for $4,500 bucks and then another one for $1,249.

It even happens with toys like The Child (more commonly known as Baby Yoda). Marissa DiBartolo with The Toy Insider says Star Wars The Child quickly became a pop culture favorite after being revealed in The Mandalorian.

Soon kids and grownups alike couldn't wait to buy up Baby Yoda merchandise.

Star Wars The Child retails for $59.99. We found it selling for $119 on Walmart.com, but it's not the retailer offering it at that price.

"I think people will be surprised to know that Walmart also has a marketplace. So even when you're on Walmart.com, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're buying from Walmart," DiBartolo said.

It's these third-party sellers that you not only find on Walmart.com, but you can also find on Amazon and eBay who will sometimes inflate the prices.

Another example is the Lego Super Mario Starter Course. It retails for $59.99. The super mushroom kit sold separately sells for $5.00 but both together on Amazon are selling for $99.99.

The Troubleshooter Takeaways you need to remember is that if you can't wait for retailers to get the hot item back in stock at retail price, buy with caution from third-party sellers, as often there is no guarantee the product is authentic or free from defects.

Another tip, experts say if you do buy from a reseller, make sure you check on the return policy because it often differs from the actual retailer, or offers none at all.