How to avoid shopping scams during the holidays with tips from the FBI
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How to avoid shopping scams during the holidays with tips from the FBI
The Internet Crime Complaint Center’s 2023 update found that that nondelivery scams and nonpayment scams expense people more than $309 million that year and financing card fraud accounted for another $173 million in losses. This holiday period guard yourself from shopping scams, which can include auction fraud, non-delivery scams, gift card fraud and non-settlement scams.
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The FBI released a set of tips you can habit to avoid shopping scams.
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Avoid clicking on any “suspicious” links or attachments in emails, on websites, or on social media, and be especially wary if you are prompted to provide any personal information in order to obtain access.
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Verify all website URLs are “legitimate.” The telltale sign of a secure connection is a padlock in the address bar and “https” at the beginning of the packed address. When buying from a website that does not have “https” in the web address, do not enter any information.
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Do your research and check reviews before you purchase from an unknown business for the first period. It’s best to avoid buyers or sellers with mostly unfavorable reviews, or no reviews at all.
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Don’t buy products from sellers “who act as authorized dealers or factory representatives of popular items in countries where there would be no such deals” or who “post an auction/advertisement in the U.S. but respond to questions by stating they are out of the country on business, household emergency, or similar reasons.”
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Steer obvious of buyers who propose dodgy shipping arrangements, or who propose to avoid customs, taxes or fees.
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When paying for a product or service, never wire money directly to a seller.
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The FBI also recommends avoiding paying for items with prepaid gift cards. A seller will inquire for the gift card number and PIN. Instead of using the gift card for settlement, the scammer will steal the funds and not provide the items.
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Dispute suspicious transactions.
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Keep a record of all transactions, tracking information and shipping details to keep track of all purchases and pursue the delivery procedure.
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