Tens Of Millions Lost In Holiday Scams
Posted on 12/27/2023
The FBI’s New York office is warning shoppers to look out for scams designed to steal your money and personal information. According to the FBI: “During the 2022 holiday shopping season, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received reports from almost 12,000 victims resulting in losses over US$ 73 million.” New York State residents suffered nearly US$ 800 million in losses to a variety of scams.
James Smith, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI New York Field Office said: “The holidays are a busy time for shoppers, and unfortunately, for thieves. As scammers continue to perfect their skills, take time to conduct due diligence to thwart their efforts. The best thing you can do to be a savvy shopper is to know what scams are out there and take some basic precautions. Going directly to a reputable source is the safest way to verify the legitimacy of a transaction.”
Per the FBI: “Scammers often offer enticing deals via phishing e-mails or advertisements. Such schemes may offer brand-name merchandise at extremely low prices or offer gift cards as an incentive. Other sites may offer products at a great price, but the products being sold are not the same as the products advertised. The victims end up paying for an item, give away personal information and credit card details, then receive nothing in return except a compromised or stolen identity. Remember, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is!”
The FBI provided a list of common online shopping scams:
- Scammers often offer too-good-to-be-true deals via phishing e-mails, texts, or advertisements. Such schemes may offer brand-name merchandise at extremely low prices or offer gift cards as an incentive. Other sites may offer products at a great price, but the products being sold are not the same as the products advertised.
- Consumers should steer clear of untrustworthy sites or ads offering items at unrealistic discounts or with special coupons. The victims end up paying for an item, give away personal information and credit card details, then receive nothing in return except a compromised or stolen identity.
- Secondary markets for airline miles, gift cards, rewards credits, and other similar products have inadvertently increased the demand for stolen information and boosted its value.
And social media shopping scams (most victims reported):
- Consumers should beware of posts on social media sites that appear to offer vouchers or gift cards. Some may appear as holiday promotions or contests. Others may appear to be from known friends who have shared the link. Often, these scams lead consumers to participate in an online survey that is designed to steal personal information.
- If you click an ad through a social media platform, do your due diligence to check the legitimacy of the website before providing credit card or personal information.
Other scams involve work from home jobs and charities that are not legitimate. The FBI suggests safeguarding all personal information and being cautious when providing personal details. More information can be found here: https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/newyork/news/fbi-new-york-warns-of-holiday-scams
