Holiday scam prevention tips will be extremely useful nowadays.
Consumers shopping for the winter holidays should be on the watch for online scams this coming Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
As reported by CNBC, internet sales in the United States are estimated to reach $207 billion between November 1 and December 31 this holiday season. That's a new high and a 10% increase over 2020 when the Covid panemic prompted more people to order online.
The cyber weekend, which runs from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, will account for around 17% of total holiday sales.
Holiday Scams
In recent months, cyber scammers have gotten so proficient at defrauding by sending SMS scams, phone calls, and bogus emails that.
Criminals will almost certainly try to take advantage of the high volume and unsuspecting customers.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, there were nearly 58,000 Covid-related consumer fraud reports from January 2020 to October 18, more than any other type of fraud.
A total of $48 million was lost by consumers.
In an alert stated by the IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig, "We are entering a sensitive holiday and tax period, and we urge people to protect their personal information," which warned of identity thieves exploiting personal information to file false tax returns.
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Holiday Scam Prevention Tips
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are coming. So, here are some holiday Scam prevention tips from the FBI:
Please take time. Users do not have to click on links or view attachments as soon as an email is received.
Check the email for spelling or grammar problems, and don't open any attachments or links if you don't recognize the sender.
To see the concealed email address and URL, move your cursor over the sender's email address and click the link.
Never click on links, view attachments, or disclose personal information without first confirming the rationale for the request and confirming that it is coming from a real business.
Private details such as your name, date of birth, phone number, username, password, bank account number, and card number should all be avoided.
A message with an unusual sense of urgency should be avoided.
If making a first-time purchase from a business, research first its credibility by reading reviews.
Before making an online transaction, make sure the buyer or seller is legitimate.
Always double-check strange websites. In the browser window, look for an "http" portion of the web URL and a lock symbol.
If the website is foreign-looking, do some research before making a purchase. Complaints can be found at the Better Business Bureau.
Make use of a credit card. In the event that shoppers become a victim of fraud, they are more likely to be covered.
In addition, a false site's domain name will contain an unnecessary letter or number, and the site may also contain grammatical problems or restricted contact information.
Consumers should Google unfamiliar organizations and read customer reviews, or search for the company name plus the word "scam" online, according to Social Catfish.
Also, avoid using a wire transfer, money order, or gift card to purchase stuff online.
Consumers can freely use these tips and are advised to be vigilant as they do their Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping spree.
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