Highlights:
- As Cyber Monday offers greater prices all over, shopping online on that day is preferable to doing so on Black Friday.
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation also advises consumers that they should be wary of transactions with unknown sellers if the bargain seems too good to be true.
- Be wary, shoppers, of advertisements on social networking platforms that falsely seem to give gift certificates or vouchers for merchandise.
Be on the watch for those attempting to steal your information if you plan on doing any shopping online during the Black Friday or Cyber Monday discounts. As consumers look for ways to save money, the FBI anticipates a surge in the number of problems and financial losses caused by scammers.
The FBI has issued a public warning to customers just as the Christmas shopping season is getting into full gear, advising them to be aware of online-shopping scams and phishing criminals who use well-known brands to obtain internet credentials.
Your great deal this #BlackFriday or #CyberMonday may become a great deal of heartbreak thanks to an online scammer. Get tips for safe online shopping at https://t.co/MsqOTyjDsl, and report fraud schemes to the #FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://t.co/Cwsj4rtF5H. pic.twitter.com/NJFc4p313P
— FBI Seattle (@FBISeattle) November 23, 2022
Swindlers are notorious for being aggressive and inventive in their schemes, but there are warning signs that buyers may look out for and typical tricks that they can avoid falling victim to.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has said in a public service broadcast that it anticipates an increase in the number of complaints and damages during the Christmas season of 2021 owing to reports of item shortages and the continuing epidemic.
Problems with global supply chains have affected a wide variety of industries, including the ones that sell online fashion, cell phones, gaming consoles, and automobiles.
Due to a lack of available components, Sony lowered its production forecast for the PlayStation 5 a few weeks ago. Despite this, the gaming system is still difficult to get in many regions of the globe.
During the Christmas season of 2020, the FBI received 17,000 complaints about the non-delivery of items, which resulted in losses of over $53 million.
In particular, the FBI advises customers to be wary of discounts that appear in emails, on websites, in postings on social media, and in advertisements on social media and to exercise caution when responding to such offers.
It brings to light the dangers of participating in online surveys when the goal is to get sensitive personal data or debit and credit card data.
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) advises those who are interested in buying a new pet over the Christmas season to encounter the animal and proprietor in a video chat prior to making the purchase. This may help lessen the likelihood of falling victim to con artists who sell fake pets.
Be wary of online sellers that, for instance, utilise a free email account as opposed to an associated with the company’s domain, since this is a red flag for the FBI, which advises customers to make their purchases only from HTTPS websites.
In addition, customers should pay for products by using a credit card that is only used for transactions made online, monitor the activity on their statements, and under no circumstances save payment information in their online accounts.
Never purchase anything while connected to a public Wi-Fi network, research the legitimacy of the online vendor by reading customer reviews and contacting the Better Business Bureau, and never perform a transaction while using a public computer.
