Five Tips for Avoiding Online Holiday Scams

During the holidays, scammers target users with amazing, often “too good to be true” deals. Here are Intrada’s five tips for avoiding online holiday scams:

1. 

   Make sure the company you are purchasing from is a valid company
   A report by the Internet Crime Complaint Center 2021 indicated that non-payment or non-delivery costs people more than $337 million in credit cards and another $173 million in losses. It might not be a real company if you can’t find the company online. Do your research and look up the company name on a search engine. If you can’t easily find the company or the product on a valid company website, there is a good chance it’s a scam. Intrada also recommends using extreme caution when purchasing from social media ads like the ones you see on Facebook. Facebook is famous for showing great or unique gifts that might never show up.

2. Don’t click
   Don’t click on links or attachments in emails you didn’t request or sign up for. Phishing scams trick users into clicking on links to get coupons or other offers that seem extraordinary. Instead, confirm the source of the offer and go directly to the company website.
3. Research the deal
   Search on your favorite search engine for the deal you are interested in confirming; if it’s a scam, it will usually show up from others to avoid, or with confirmation, it’s a great deal.  
4. Never wire money directly to a seller
   Wiring money to a seller is a huge red flag. Also, avoid using pre-paid gift cards. It is a scam if you are asked for a gift card number and pin. Intrada recommends using a credit card and not your debit card. Credit cards have great scam prevention and you should monitor your card online to make sure no suspicious transactions show up.
5. Don’t assume since you purchased it that it's coming
   Keep the emails and monitor shipping to ensure you don’t forget you ordered it. If you don’t receive a confirmation email with a shipping status, contact the company for an update.

With anything online, sometimes the best deal is not a deal at all. You can trust people, but we recommend taking the steps above before hitting the purchase button.  If it seems too good to be true, it probably is – per the FBI.gov website.

Cybersecurity Awareness Poster

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