As some 200 million Americans are expected to shop during Thanksgiving week through Cyber Monday, criminals on and off the internet are coming after your money, officials warned.
Despite economic uncertainties, American shoppers are likely to spend big, as much as $11 billion, on Black Friday in person or online, according to the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Look out for scammers online
More shoppers are likely to make purchases on their mobile devices, making them more vulnerable to scams, especially those being done by AI.
“There are the websites, artwork and design make it look like real websites, so you need to be careful and shop from the sellers’ websites directly, not from a link on your phone or your iPad or some other device,” said Steve McFarlane, CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Los Angeles.
When reading carefully, shoppers should be able to tell if some links and listings may be fake.
“You’re going to see some spelling errors on their social or website, “McFarlane explained. “Maybe on their website, you’re going to see HTTPS is for a secure site. If it doesn’t have that “S,” be careful. That site is not secure.”
And if a vendor or a store only accepts cash, gift cards and wire payments only, it should be a red flag, he explained.
Another sign of a scam is aggressive pressure, McFarlane said, as criminals would try to force shoppers to buy now to get the price, often saying products will be sold out soon.
“Pressure is always common in most of the scams,” the BBB official emphasized.
In 2024, consumers lost nearly $530 million in total from online shopping fraud, with more than 380,000 reported cases.
Brick-and-mortar retail shopping
Although online shopping has grown over the years, many families will still shop in person, often in crowded shopping districts, such as the Santa Monica Third Street Promenade.
That’s why Santa Monica police are urging shoppers to be aware of their surroundings and look out for pickpockets who have their eyes on your wallets, purses and freshly purchased products.
“Pickpoets love the holidays, too,” the Santa Monica Police Department said. “They know people are carrying more, rushing more and paying less attention.”
Police urge shoppers to zip or close their bags and not to stash their wallets or phones in back pockets.
“Be cautious if someone bumps into you, crowds you or creates an unusual distraction, “ police warned. “These are common tactics during the holiday rush.”
And while out shopping, officials urge people to protect their cars and belongings by locking doors, keeping windows closed and placing shopping bags out of sight. Cars should also be parked under good lighting, police added.
Source: NBC Los Angeles