The FBI is warning consumers about holiday scams during Black Friday sales

The Christmas shopping season has returned and with it the threat of fraud.

The FBI warns shoppers to “always” be wary of deals that seem too good to be true, especially when you start checking out Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals online or in-person.

“Every year, thousands of people fall victim to holiday scams,” the FBI said in a post on its website. “Scammers can rob you of hard-earned money, personal information and at least some festive cheer.”

Buyers should be particularly wary of scams such as auction scams, non-delivery scams, gift card scams and non-payment scams as these are some of the most common scams. Most, if not all, of these cons involve payment in exchange for a product or service that was misrepresented and never shipped or received.

According to a report from the FBI’s Internet Complaint Center, non-payment and non-delivery fraud will cost consumers more than $309 million in 2023, with credit card fraud causing an additional $173 million in losses.

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“The (Internet Complaint Center) receives a large volume of complaints during the first few months of each year, suggesting a connection to the shopping scams during the previous holiday season,” the FBI said.

Here’s what you should know about holiday scams, including ways to avoid them and protect your wallet this shopping season.

“Don’t become the next victim of a scammer,” the FBI says in a warning letter

Holiday shopping scams to watch out for

To protect the public from falling victim to scammers during their holiday shopping, the FBI has outlined some key ways to avoid potential funny deals, whether you’re the buyer or the seller.

There are a few ways you can protect yourself and your wallet, including “practicing good cybersecurity hygiene, knowing who you are buying from or selling to, paying carefully, and monitoring the shipping process.”

And “remember: If it seems too good to be true, that’s because it is,” the FBI warned.

Here are some more detailed suggestions to think about as you start shopping, courtesy of the FBI:

Avoid clicking on “suspicious” links or attachments in emails, websites or social media. Be particularly careful if you are asked to provide personal information to gain access.
Make sure all website URLs are “legitimate.” The telltale sign of a secure connection, according to Forbes, is a padlock in the address bar and “https” at the beginning of the full address. If it is not “safe” or looks like it is, move on.
Do your research and check reviews before buying from an unknown company for the first time. If you’re looking to purchase an item from an online marketplace or auction site, it’s best to avoid buyers or sellers with mostly negative reviews or no reviews at all.
Do not purchase products from sellers “who act as authorized dealers or factory representatives of popular items in countries where such listings do not exist” or who “post an auction/ad in the United States but respond to questions by stating that they are not there.” leaving the country for business, family emergencies or similar reasons.”
Stay away from buyers who offer shady shipping arrangements or offer to avoid duties, taxes or fees. As well as risky payment arrangements such as wire transfers or prepaid gift cards.
Disprove suspicious transactions.
Keep records of all transactions, tracking information and shipping details to keep track of all purchases.

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