Cybercrime is an unfortunate fact of modern life. Criminals are constantly on the lookout for ways to get their hands on information that they can monetize through fraud or outright theft. Their scams range from simple to those that are extremely complex. Online shopping scams are becoming more frequent. These scams work in a variety of ways, but consumers can take measures to protect themselves from becoming a victim.
Be Alert on Social Media
The Federal Trade Commission has noted that 40% of fraud losses reported by consumers in the 18-29 age group in 2021 originated on a social media website. Consumers in this age group report that they frequently respond to pop-up ads and often purchase goods advertised on such ads. Others buy from popular online marketplaces, such as Facebook marketplace.
Unfortunately, not all sellers are who they claim to be and many buyers end up being scammed. Sometimes the scam is straightforward — the “seller” takes the money and doesn’t deliver the promised goods. Other fraudsters deliver a knock-off, a counterfeit, or something that bears little resemblance to what the buyer was expecting.
However, a larger concern for buyers should be the possibility that they are dealing with scammers whose primary focus is on stealing data. Some will sell consumers’ credit card numbers, names and addresses to other criminals. Other scammers will use the credit cards of consumers to buy gift cards and cryptocurrencies for themselves.
Consumers who use debit cards in their online transactions are also at risk. Bank debit card issuers will typically reimburse customers who suffer losses due to cybercrime — but not always. And when banks do make their customers whole again, it can be a time-consuming process.
Take Steps to Protect Yourself While Shopping Online
You can take several simple precautions to minimize the risk that you will be scammed while shopping online:
Be Skeptical of Great Deals
The saying “buyer beware” still holds true as much today as ever. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t true. Think carefully before you press the “Buy now” button and send personal financial information to an unknown destination.
Click Carefully
Cybercriminals use common phishing techniques such as free offers, spam emails, and online quizzes to trick you into sharing personal or sensitive information. The safest way to protect yourself is to not click on unknown or suspicious emails.
Shop with Caution
Criminals create copycat websites that mimic those of legitimate retailers. Only shop online when you can ensure that the website’s address starts with “https” instead of just http. Check also that there is a padlock icon in the URL to ensure that the site is secure and uses encryption to scramble your data. Frequent misspellings of common words and incorrect grammar are also red flags that can identify a copycat website.
Do Not Respond Directly to Ads
Do not respond directly to a pop-up ad. If you are interested in what’s being advertised, open up a new page and go directly to the advertiser’s website. Even then, before you buy anything, look for and check out ways to contact the business directly and review the business’s return policy.
Although scammers are becoming more advanced in their tactics, if you take a little time to double-check important details before making an online purchase, it can go a long way to keeping your personal and financial data secure.
