Are you shopping online for the holidays? You should beware.

Scammers are out there looking for victims this holiday season when you’re trying to take advantage of those online deals. According to a recent consensus by the FBI, scammers were responsible for stealing $184+ million dollars from people online during the online shopping season and the season isn’t over yet.

These online shopping scams come in different forms with the most frequent involving fake websites and bogus emails that although look legit and are designed to have online shoppers hand over personal information to the scammers.

The key to avoiding getting scammed when receiving an unexpected email is to not click on any links or open an attachment. Most online retailers, after you have purchased, do not send you an attachment. Any receipts are present in the body of the email. When browsing an online store assure it’s reputable and contains purchase protection, encryption and so on, and that they have full contact information available. This is usually stated somewhere on the website whether in the shopping cart or on an about us page. Don’t be fooled by a website advertising an incredible price for merchandise. If the cost is far off from larger competitors such as Amazon, Target or Walmart then that could be a red flag.

If you are planning on physically shopping at a store or mall, avoid leaving electronics in visual sight in the vehicle. If you must, lock them in the trunk. Keep in mind, if these devices are already activated and not necessarily a wrapped present, such as your cell phone or tablet, they can be sought out by detecting blue tooth. This is one way the thieves know you have devices in your vehicle, by the signals being emitted. 

We hope this helps defend you against the scammers out there this holiday season! Did you find this free article helpful? Please help support our cause by liking our Authority IT Facebook page and you’ll receive more helpful information in the future on technology.