FBI warns Chrome & Safari users not to buy from certain websites after surge in fake shopping forums
On Black Friday, millions of Americans use the internet instead of lining up at retailers.
Over $70 billion will be spent this weekend, according to retail analysts.
However, dishonest con artists also attempt to exploit consumers over the holiday season, which is why authorities issue alerts.
The FBI is one of the top organizations that has issued warnings to consumers, and users of Chrome and Safari should take note.
The FBI advises consumers to check if a website is secure before ever making a transaction.
If the website doesn’t start with the letter https, you should start to get concerned.
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If the five-letter code is absent, customers should be cautious when entering personal information on the website.
A padlock adds an additional degree of security to a website.
Customers should take their time to research a seller’s history before making a hasty purchase.
To find out if other people have had positive experiences, they ought to read the seller’s reviews.
Additionally, the FBI has cautioned consumers about the dangers of purchasing from vendors who pose as authorized dealers.
Websites that attempt to evade shipping costs should also be avoided by customers.
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Additionally, the FBI has suggested how consumers should pay for goods.
Instead of using a pre-paid gift card to purchase an item, customers should use credit cards.
Sometimes, scammers ask victims to purchase gift cards and then read the numbers on the back.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, one warning sign is if the con artist uses language or a voice that seems urgent.
Bank tips for avoiding scams
Because artificial intelligence is being used to make frauds more sophisticated, it’s critical to understand how to recognize a scam:
- Be skeptical of online deals that seem too good to be true, especially on social media.
- Scammers will often use tactics to make you panicked so you make quick decisions – be cautious if you are told to take immediate action and verify who has contacted you.
- Chase Bank warns customers to “never return any unexpected funds without calling Chase first.”
- Never send money to someone you have only spoken to online or by phone as this is likely a romance scam.
- Unless you 100% know who you are talking to, never give someone remote access to your device.
- Never accept help from strangers at an ATM and always be vigilant when making withdrawals.
- Do not send money or click any links indicating that you have won a prize.
Source: Chase.com
The fact that scammers will encourage gullible people to purchase a gift card from a certain store is another red flag.
Customers should never provide the scammer with the gift card code.
They will remove the money from the card using the code.
FTC leaders have cautioned against providing them with those numbers or sending them a picture of the card. It’s a fraud.
Holiday warnings have been issued by organizations other than the FBI and FTC.
The Better Business Bureau’s experts have cautioned about the dangers of app and social media frauds.
Social media is allegedly the next frontier for scammers, according to Jason Meza of the Better Business Bureau in Texas, who spoke to the CBS affiliate KEYE-TV.
If an offer seems too good to be true, shoppers should be cautious.
Online purchase scams were ranked as the third most dangerous scam in the 2023 BBB scam trackerrisk report.
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Customers complained that when they jumped on an alluring offer, they frequently ended up with a subpar item or nothing at all.
Between now and Cyber Monday, $75 billion will be spent, according to Bain & Company experts.
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