Cyber Monday Shopping: How to Avoid Online Scams and Protect Your Money

Cyber Monday Shopping Trends

• 🛍️ Cyber Monday is the biggest online shopping day of the year, with an estimated 74 million people expected to shop.
• 💰 During peak hours last year, shoppers spent nearly $16 million per minute.

Red Flags for Online Scams

• ⚠️ Be vigilant as scammers are out in full force during high online activity periods.
• 🔒 Always check if a website is legitimate by ensuring the address starts with HTTPS, not just HTTP.
• ❌ Watch out for misspelled URLs, businesses that only accept gift cards or money transfers (like Zelle or Venmo), excessive pop-ups, or unexpected redirects to other sites.
• 📱 When seeing ads on social media, avoid clicking links directly; instead, go to your browser and search for the item manually to verify the site's legitimacy.
• 🤔 Remember the adage: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Steps to Take If Scammed

• 🏦 Immediately contact your bank to report the scam and attempt to recover your money.
• 💻 File a complaint with the FTC and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3); reports filed within the first 72 hours have a better chance of recovering funds.
• 🆘 Consider reaching out to the Identity Theft Resource Center if you suspect your identity has been compromised.
• 💳 Whenever possible, pay with a credit card for online purchases, as they often offer more protection than debit cards.