Before purchasing anything, shoppers should verify the identity of a seller by researching and checking reviews. — Image by Hannes Edinger from Pixabay
With the holiday season in full swing, the FBI is urging consumers to be aware of scams that could cost them hard-earned money and personal information.
Americans lost a total of US$309mil (RM1.4bil) in online scams last year, according to the Internet Crime Complaint Center's 2023 report. The centre reported that it often receives an influx of complaints at the beginning of each year, pointing to a connection with the previous holiday season's shopping scams.
Here's what you need to know about avoiding holiday scams this season.
What online scams should I beware of?
Online shopping is a convenient way to avoid the crowds, but it also comes with an increased risk of scams.
The FBI encourages online shoppers to avoid phishing scams by refraining from clicking on any suspicious links or attachments that may be included on websites, social media or emails. These scams will ask for personal information like passwords and bank account numbers and in some cases may download malware to a device.
Customers should also be aware of non-delivery scams, which occur when an item is paid for but never received. Anyone selling items for purchase should be aware of non-payment scams when a purchased item is shipped, but payment is never received.
How can I be safe when online shopping?
Before purchasing anything, shoppers should verify the identity of a seller by researching and checking reviews.
Customers should also check that a seller's website is secure by ensuring it has a "https" in the web address. The FBI warns that customers should not enter any information on a site that is not secure.
After purchasing an item online, customers should get a tracking number so they can monitor the delivery process and ensure their item has shipped.
How can I avoid scams when paying online?
The FBI encourages customers to never wire money directly to a seller. Instead, it's recommended that online purchases be paid for with a credit card. If suspicious transactions appear on a credit card statement, the company should be contacted immediately.
Online payments should not be made via a pre-paid gift card, as this is a common scam in which a seller will ask for a gift card number and PIN. Instead of using that gift card for payment, the scammer will steal the funds, and never deliver the item. – Houston Chronicle/Tribune News Service
