It’s the holiday season! Whether you’re eagerly awaiting those holiday sales or have already completed your gift purchases, it’s essential to remain vigilant while shopping online.

As the holidays approach so do those infamous Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales and that’s what fraudsters count on. Holiday ad scams are commonly spread through social media, search engine ads and, most frequently, mass email campaigns. Since many legitimate retailers rely on email to promote upcoming sales ahead of the holiday season, fraudsters exploit this by sending fraudulent messages, closely mimicking these retailers with links to scam websites.

• Social media ads: Social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram can contain ads for popular items that are deeply discounted. These are likely scam sites that send inferior products, counterfeit items or nothing at all.
• Spoofed retail websites: Fraudsters create websites that mimic trusted retailers’ sites to trick consumers into shopping on them. If you receive emails or text messages that supposedly are from retailers or see ads online for deals, pay close attention to the spelling of the retailer’s name in the link
• Shipping scams: With an influx of packages you are sending or expecting, be weary of text messages that appear to come from the U.S. Postal Service or shipping companies. These messages typically claim that the company is having trouble delivering a package. However, the links lead to a form that requires your personal information, which will be stolen. Or they could trigger the downloading of malware.

How to Avoid Holiday Scams

• Beware of deals that are too good to be true. Unreasonably low prices— especially on hard-to-find items – are a red flag for scams.
• Stick with retailers you trust.
• Don’t click on links in emails or text messages, even if they appear to come from trusted retailers, USPS or other shipping companies.
• Be weary of ads for discounted items. Instead, go directly to the retailer’s site. If you don’t find the advertised deals on the official site, the ad likely was fake.‍
• Verify websites are legitimate and secure by checking the URL for misspellings and extra letters or characters.
• Monitor your accounts for unauthorized charges.

By remaining vigilant and following these precautions, you can protect yourself from falling victim to holiday scams during this festive season.