With several fantastic deals to snap up online, shoppers have an exciting weekend ahead. However, with cybercriminals preying on Black Friday and Cyber Monday shoppers, consumers need to be wary.
The FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office are issuing warnings to consumers that they should be wary of fraudsters who are trolling the Internet. These fraudsters will look for several ways to steal your credit card numbers, your identity or even sell you fake goods.
"It's especially critical around the holiday shopping season that consumers act as the first line of defense to protect themselves from losing their hard earned money by being ripped off," said Marlon Miller, a special agent with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Homeland Security Investigations.
Judging by last years statistics, the shoppers' response for this year seems poised to be overwhelming as well, which will in turn give the con artists plenty of opportunities to swindle people.
"Online consumers should be extra vigilant in their Internet purchases and activity during the holiday season," noted Paul Abbate, head of Detroit's FBI office.
Per Abbate, the FBI and the Internet Crime Complaint Center see a noteworthy increase in online scams close to Cyber Monday.
In 2012, Cyber Monday saw more than 129 million shoppers and this year too the number is expected to go up.
According to Shop.org, Cyber Monday sales have grown steadily over the years. In 2012, the sales figures touched $1.5 billion, which is 17 percent higher than the $1.3 billion sales in 2011. Moreover, Cyber Monday shoppers spend more - an average of $194 online in a day, which was more than the $172 spent by an average person over the entire Thanksgiving weekend.
Per the FBI, credit cards are at risk as cyber criminals are lurking around.
"Whether consumers are shopping online or in stores, scammers are getting ready to exploit the holiday shopping season as consumers hunt for the best deals," notes Scambook, a complaint resolution website. "To prevent consumers from falling victim to holiday scams and fraud, Scambook would like to remind the public about some of the top holiday scams from last season that are expected to return in the same form, or with slight variations."
Per the federal authorities, here are some schemes you can watch out for to avoid being a victim of an online scam:
- Gift cards that are being sold at radically reduced prices.
- One-day only websites that offer sales on branded items that have a high demand.
- Phishing emails, sms or phone calls that act as if they are coming from a well-known retailer, which ask customers to verify personal details, credit card numbers and bank accounts.
