Avoid Holiday Shopping Scams

Shopping online can save you time and money, but it can also be costly if you’re not careful about scams. Scammers have been targeting people looking for ‘amazing’ deals or tricking them with ‘free’ offers or false shipping problems.

When shopping online:

• Don’t be tricked by super-low prices from unknown sellers.
• Don’t be fooled by phone calls or emails that claim there is a problem delivering a product.

Protect yourself:

• Don’t click any suspicious links or attachments in emails, on websites, or on social media.
• Don't give up personal information like your name, password, and bank account number.
• Be especially wary if a company asks you to update your password or account information.
• Make sure the business is legitimate. If you’ve never heard of it, check online reviews or articles.
• Pay with a credit card. They often have built-in consumer protections that guard you in cases of fraud.
• Don’t be fooled by unsolicited emails. Crooks that want to steal personal information or to place malware on your computer often design these emails.
• Only buy from sellers that have a good reputation rating with lots of reviews.

Beware of delivery scams:

• Make sure the business is legitimate. If you’ve never heard of it, check online reviews or articles.
• Pay with a credit card. They often have built-in consumer protections that guard you in cases of fraud.
• Don’t be fooled by unsolicited emails. Crooks that want to steal personal information or to place malware on your computer often design these emails.
• Only buy from sellers that have a good reputation rating with lots of reviews.