Tis the season for scammers to attempt to ruin your holiday. So many of us are relying on the Internet for our holiday shopping. Alas, the people on Santa’s Naughty List know this.
Online shopping scams are the #1 riskiest scam for consumers. 40% of all scam reports to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in the last few years have been related to online purchases. People get drawn in from social media posts to fake websites for great deals on “hot” items.
When you click on the Shop Now link on the social media post, you get directed to a fake or look-a-like website. Pay attention to the grammar and spelling on the website. If it is poor, chances are the website is fake. Perhaps the web address (URL) is misspelled to resemble the real website but not quite the same (www.macys.com vs. www.maceys.com). If you aren’t looking for it, you might not catch it. Also, limited contact options such as a fill in form or a “personal” email address instead of one for the business using the business’s web address is another clue that the website might not be legitimate.
Tips for safe online shopping from the BBB
- Check out the retailer with the BBB, especially if you have never done business with them.
- Look for “https” (the s is for “secure”) and a small lock icon in the address bar before entering payment or personal information.
- Beware of fake websites. Check the URL, watch for bad grammar, and search for the site contact information.
- Stay away from websites with no working…
