As the holiday season ushers in a flurry of online shopping, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has sounded the alarm on potential scams that could mar the festive spirit.
The agency has urged consumers to exercise caution, particularly during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, to avoid falling prey to fraudsters.
According to Newsweek, the FBI has outlined a series of scams that online shoppers should be wary of. These include non-delivery scams, where consumers pay for items that never arrive; non-payment scams, where sellers dispatch goods but never receive payment; auction fraud, which involves the misrepresentation of products on auction sites; and gift card fraud, where scammers request payment through prepaid cards.
The FBI's warning comes in the wake of a 2023 report from its Internet Crime Complaint Center, which revealed that non-payment and non-delivery scams cost consumers a staggering $309 million last year. Additionally, credit card fraud resulted in losses amounting to $173 million.
The agency has offered a series of recommendations to help consumers protect themselves from these scams. It advises against clicking on suspicious links and urges discernment when faced with password change requests. It also emphasizes the importance of knowing who you are purchasing items from online and being cautious with payment methods. The FBI also encourages consumers to track packages and cardholder addresses and to verify the legitimacy and security of the websites they use.
The FBI further advises, "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." The agency also suggests checking online reviews before purchasing from a website, avoiding websites that specify unusual shipping arrangements that bypass customer checks or fees, and refraining from buying with pre-paid gift cards.
This warning is not without reason. Earlier this week, risk analysts at fraud prevention firm LexisNexis Risk Solutions cautioned customers to be "extra vigilant" during Black Friday sales. The firm noted that fraudsters often deploy advanced bots to rapidly test stolen login credentials across multiple websites.
A recent report by IT security firm Check Point further underscores the gravity of the situation. The report found that websites related to Black Friday have surged 89 percent in the weeks preceding Thanksgiving from the same period last year. "Nearly all of these sites impersonate well-known brands, and almost none are classified 'safe,'" the report stated.
As the holiday shopping season kicks into high gear, the FBI's warning serves as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance. The agency's advice underscores the importance of being informed and cautious when shopping online, particularly during high-profile sales events like Black Friday. It is a call to action for consumers to protect their hard-earned money and personal information from the clutches of unscrupulous scammers.
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