This week, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody released a new “Scams at a Glance” resource to help Floridians avoid online shopping scams.
Summer is a prime time of the year for online retailers to offer special deals and savings for consumers. Scammers and cybercriminals view these sales as opportunities to steal personal information, hack financial accounts or simply rip off consumers. Moody released “Scams at a Glance: E-Commerce Cons” to help consumers avoid falling for fraudulent schemes when making purchases online.
“Online retailers have made special mid-summer sales popular for consumers. While many shoppers plan and prepare for these deals, scammers are waiting to take advantage of the excitement. By viewing our Scams at a Glance: E-Commerce Cons resource and staying informed, Floridians can implement protective measures when shopping online and avoid falling victim to scams. Always remember that if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is,” Moody said.
Scams at a Glance: E-Commerce Cons covers tips related to common online shopping scams, including:
Verify the legitimacy of third-party sellers before making any purchases online by researching credentials and checking customer reviews. Be cautious of any sellers with limited feedback or unusually low prices;
Look out for phishing traps in emails, text messages or phone calls where scammers will pretend to be online store representatives. These messages may ask users to submit personal information or click on malicious links;
Beware of fake websites that cybercriminals may create to closely resemble trusted sites—tricking shoppers into providing personal data. Double-check the URL and look for the secure lock symbol in the browser address bar;
Use a credit card when purchasing anything online as credit card companies may offer additional consumer protections; and
Monitor financial accounts to check for any suspicious activity that may occur if a user falls victim to a scam.
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