‘Tis the Season to be Extra Vigilant
This Friday is Black Friday, which marks the start of the holiday shopping season. While the holidays is about being together with family and friends, enjoying meals together, exchanging gifts, making memories, and more, we need to be extra careful as the holiday season has traditionally been the time when scammers are most active.
The rise of the Internet has enabled many applications that provide many conveniences, including online shopping, online banking, food delivery, ride sharing, and more. These conveniences are especially attractive as people become more and more busy with their lives, whether it’s work, social or personal. Unfortunately, scammers are counting on consumers letting their guard down during this period.
There are countless stories of people getting scammed every year. Some of the common hooks scammers use are:
“Free stuff!”
“Huge discounts on <insert expensive product here>!”
“Don’t pay for <x> months!”
As the saying goes, “If it is too good to be true, it probably is.”
Cybercriminals are counting on people looking for deals, too busy to pay attention, or just need that last minute gift. Once they get your attention, you are more likely to fall for the scam. Some of the consequences include:
Getting your personal and financial information stolen
Getting your money stolen
Attacker using your credit card info for other purchases
Attacker using your financial info for money laundering
Attacker using your personal and financial information to create accounts under your name, which is then used to make purchases, or money laundering
… and more
This holiday season, make sure you are vigilant and protect yourself from scams. Here are some tips to help you avoid being scammed:
In General
Buy only from reputable sellers, stores, online marketplaces, etc.
Do not wait until the last minute, where you are more likely to pay less attention to what you are doing, and more likely to make mistakes
In-store / In-person Shopping:
Double check the card reader to make sure there is not a layer on top of the legitimate machine
Online Shopping
If you know which store you want to buy from, type in the store’s web site address manually if you’ve been to the site before
If you get email promotions:
Make sure to double check the sender’s email address
If you need to click on a link, make sure the link to the web site is legitimate by checking the name
Observe the web site for:
Blurry images
Typos
Grammar and spelling errors
Observe the listings and make sure the individual seller(s) you are buying from is legitimate, and has good reviews
Read reviews of the seller
Reviews with pictures and longer feedback are likely to be more legitimate
After making a purchase, check to make sure the charge to your debit/credit card matches the amount on the invoice/receipt
Take the time to read and verify all terms, conditions, (extra) fees, payment methods,
Second-hand
Make sure to only go to a reputable site to look for second-hand deals
If buying on eBay:
Read reviews about the seller and get an understanding of the seller’s reputation
Read reviews about the goods and evaluate the value of the goods
Once the goods are received, inspect them, and make sure the goods are as described
If buying on second-hand ads / classifieds:
Make sure to exchange the goods in-person, and at a public place with others around
Inspect the goods thoroughly
Ask about the condition, history of the goods and why the seller wants to sell
If not allowed to inspect the goods, walk away from the deal immediately
If the seller makes any claims about warranty, check the warranty status or ask the seller to provide proof
Make sure to agree on payment method
Inspect any cash for fakes
For e-transfers, make sure the money is transferred before walking away
If the seller is asking for gift cards and asks you to send the codes on the gift cards, it is likely a scam
Walk away from deal if there is any doubt about legitimacy
Other
Do not make any international money or cryptocurrency transfers