The Holiday season is here! Like millions of Americans, you are probably planning to buy many of your holiday gifts online. The internet has made shopping easy, affordable, and convenient – without even having to leave your home (or pajamas).
Unfortunately, this has caught the attention of cybercriminals who are keen to exploit individuals benefitting from these conveniences. Every year many consumers get scammed, with stolen money and personal information spoiling holiday cheer. The two most prevalent holiday scams are non-delivery and non-payment crimes. In a non-delivery scam, a buyer pays for goods or services they find online, but those items are never received. Conversely, a non-payment scam involves goods or services being shipped, but the seller is never paid.
Follow these tips from the FBI about how to protect yourself from the most common Holiday Scams.
- Plan ahead. Make a list to avoid impulse buys. Create a budget to prevent debt you cannot afford – and prevent New Year’s debt blues.
- Avoid buying things just to build points on your credit card.
- Check each website’s URL to make sure it’s legitimate and secure. A site you’re buying from should have https: in the web address. If it doesn’t, don’t enter your information on that site.
- Beware when a seller asks you to pay with a…
