As the holiday season winds down, the FBI is reminding consumers to be wary of online shopping scams that target unsuspecting consumers.
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division Wayne A. Jacobs said the best thing consumers can do is verify the authenticity of a website before making a purchase.
“As you shop online during this holiday season, remember that it’s also the season for holiday scammers to try to swindle you out of your hard-earned money,” Jacobs said. “Scammers are creative all year long, but during the holiday shopping season they will try a variety of ways to prey on unsuspecting shoppers.
“The simplest tips can save you a lot of money: verify the legitimacy of websites before providing financial or personal information; if the deal from an unknown seller looks too good to be true, it probably is, so do your due diligence; and do not click on email or text message links from unknown senders.”
Jacobs added that consumers who believe that they have been the victim of a scam can report it to the FBI at IC3.gov.
The FBI says scammers target shoppers during the holiday season who are looking for deals and online shopping scams and they can take many forms.
The FBI Washington Field Office said that consumers should be vigilant of imposters who are trying to not only steal your money, but your personal information, as well.
