(WETM) – If you’re planning on doing your holiday shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s important to beware of potential scams that may surface this time of year.
New York Attorney General Letitia James issued an alert on Wednesday, Nov. 27, encouraging New Yorkers to be extra careful when doing their holiday shopping, especially if they are doing so online. During this time of year, cybercriminals take advantage of shoppers by increasing phishing attempts, scams and other fraudulent activity.
Amazon workers on strike from Black Friday to Cyber Monday
To help shoppers protect themselves this holiday season, Attorney General James has provided the following tips to follow while shopping:
Make sure the retailer is reputable
Always verify website URLs before providing payment information.
Make sure the company has an operating customer service line, lists an actual street address for its businesses and has a satisfactory service record. Many scammers will list a non-working phone number or list only a P.O. box as its address.
Review all charges that may apply to your purchase. Many websites offer a ‘bargain’ and then tack on additional fees such as delivery, processing or subscription fees. These fees may also increase around the holidays.
Use caution when opening emails with subject lines reading ‘Exclusive Holiday Deals’ or ‘Free Gift Cards’, as these are often phishing scams.
Avoid using public Wi-Fi when making online purchases.
If you receive an unexpected holiday e-card or invitation, verify the sender before clicking links or attachments.
Secure devices to protect personal information
Change your Wi-Fi password if it hasn’t been updated in a while.
Install the latest security updates on your phones, tablets and computers.
Make sure antivirus software is active and up-to-date to protect against malware.
Protect yourself after your purchase
Save all purchase verifications and receipts from online retailers for future access. If you don’t receive your purchase when you’re supposed to, reach out to the company with a firm but polite inquiry.
If the company doesn’t respond to your request, you can file a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General online or by calling 1-800-771-7755.
Be extra diligent with checking your monthly credit card and bank statements for unauthorized charges. Scammers will often take advantage of the increase in purchases during the holidays, as they expect fraudulent charges to go unnoticed.
Report all unauthorized purchases, or items not received in a reasonable amount of time, to your credit card company as soon as possible.