FBI warns online shoppers of holiday scams

“According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), in 2020, Tennesseans lost over $40,191,616 due to a variety of scams,” Douglas Korneski, special agent in charge of the FBI Memphis Field Office said in a news release. “Remain vigilant and if you believe you have been the victim of a scam, report it to the FBI at IC3.gov.”

Tips to Avoid Being Victimized:

Practice good cybersecurity hygiene.

• Don’t click any suspicious links or attachments in emails, on websites or on social media. Phishing scams and similar crimes get you to click on links and give up personal information like your name, password and bank account number. In some cases, you may unknowingly download malware to your device.
• Be especially wary if a company asks you to update your password or account information. Look up the company’s phone number on your own and call the company.

Know who you’re buying from or selling to.

• 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.
• If you’re purchasing from a company for the first time, do your research and check reviews.
• Verify the legitimacy of a buyer or seller before moving forward with a purchase. If you’re using an online marketplace or auction website, check their feedback rating. Be wary of buyers and sellers with mostly unfavorable feedback ratings or no ratings at all.
• Avoid sellers who act as authorized dealers or factory representatives of popular items in countries where there would be no such deals.
• Be wary of sellers who post an auction or advertisement as if they reside in the U.S., then respond to questions by stating they are out of the country on business, family emergency, or similar reasons.
• Avoid buyers who request their purchase be shipped using a certain method to avoid customs or taxes inside another country.

Be careful how you pay.

• Never wire money directly to a seller.
• Avoid paying for items with pre-paid gift cards. In these scams, a seller will ask you to send them a gift card number and PIN. Instead of using that gift card for your payment, the scammer will steal the funds, and you’ll never receive your item.
• Use a credit card when shopping online and check your statement regularly. If you see a suspicious transaction, contact your credit card company to dispute the charge.

Monitor the shipping process.

• Always get tracking numbers for items you buy online, so you can make sure they have been shipped and can follow the delivery process.
• Be suspect of any credit card purchases where the address of the cardholder does not match the shipping address when you are selling. Always receive the cardholder’s authorization before shipping any products.

If you are a victim of an online scam, the FBI recommends taking the following actions:

• Report the activity to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov, regardless of dollar loss. Provide all relevant information in the complaint.
• Contact your financial institution immediately upon discovering any fraudulent or suspicious activity and direct them to stop or reverse the transactions.
• Ask your financial institution to contact the corresponding financial institution where the fraudulent or suspicious transfer was sent.

More tips on holiday safety and fraud prevention can be found here.