5 ways to stop online scammers from ruining your Christmas shopping

Thanksgiving weekend and the Black Friday shopping frenzy that accompanies it are almost here. In addition, Turkey Day falls as late as possible on the calendar this year, making the traditional Christmas shopping season a little busier than usual.

Despite the time constraints, try not to panic. Security experts say you should think before you pull out your credit card because scammers and other online Grinches want to take advantage of your haste and trick you into falling for their fake Cyber ​​Week deals and other shopping-related scams.

It’s the big jump in online purchasing, combined with countless busy and distracted shoppers, that makes this time of year so attractive to scammers, says Darius Kingsley, head of consumer banking practices at Chase.

“Many of us are on our guard year-round, at least to some extent,” Kingsley said. “Then it’s the end of November and you’ve only just started your Christmas shopping, so panic sets in. These are somewhat typical emotions, but that clouds your judgment a bit.”

Online sales during the holiday season are expected to set records this year. Adobe Analytics projects that US online sales will reach $240.8 billion this holiday shopping season, representing an 8.4% growth over the same period last year.

Online sales for Cyber ​​Week, the five-day period that includes Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday, are expected to total $40.6 billion, which would represent a 7% increase over the same period last year and 16.9% of total public holidays.

Like some shoppers, many scammers have started their holiday activities early this year. In its Holiday Threats Report, published earlier this month, Visa noted that the number of fake and spoofed merchant websites its researchers had spotted in the past four months had almost tripled from the previous four months.

James Mirfin, the company’s senior vice president and global head of risk and identity solutions, said Visa has also seen an increase in other types of malicious activity, including phishing and social engineering scams, along with leisure travel and seasonal jobs.

Meanwhile, generative AI tools are making it faster and easier for cybercriminals to create customized scams, allowing cybercriminals to spoof voices and create deepfake videos that make their scams much more convincing, he said. And needless to say, the days of poorly written phishing emails that would arouse the suspicions of even the least tech-savvy consumers are over.

“These things are starting to look and feel more and more like they came from your couch or from someone you trust,” Mirfin said.

Mike Price, chief technology officer at ZeroFox, also pointed to the rise of tools like ChatGPT and other big-box models as the latest game-changer in the world of online scams. He noted that these types of tools, in addition to deepfaked voices and videos, allow criminals to create photorealistic images of virtually anything you can imagine, simply by entering a text prompt.

“And this hasn’t really been possible until the last few years and has only really matured this year,” Price said. “The platforms have come a long way in recent months.”

That may seem daunting. But a few basic precautions will protect you from the Krampuses of the online world. Here are some recommendations from experts on how to shop safely this holiday season.

Check your list (and credit card and bank statements) more than twice

Keep an eye on your bank and credit card accounts. It is not only good for security but also for tracking your expenses.

Mirfin said shoppers should set purchase alerts on their accounts and keep a close eye on their statements, especially this time of year.

You can make this task easier by limiting your holiday shopping to one credit card and email address. Doing this will also reduce your risk of falling into a phishing scam if someone visits your other email accounts.

If you notice anything, log into your account directly through your bank’s app or website, or call the number on the back of your card. Don’t click on links in emails.

Do not pay for your purchase with cryptocurrency. It is designed to make crypto anonymous and extremely difficult to track. If someone steals it, it’s probably gone.

Requests for payment with retail gift cards should also be viewed with suspicion. They also cannot be tracked and can easily be converted into cash or merchandise by cybercriminals.

Don’t party with the phishers

Spam and scam emails, text messages, and other types of messages occur all year round, but this time of year they pile up. They may look like a fraud alert from your bank or a great offer on that must-have item.

The risk is that shoppers could click a link in a malicious email that takes them to a fake website that then collects their personal or financial information, putting them at risk of financial fraud or identity theft.

Major email providers do their best to keep scam emails out of your inbox, but some inevitably get past their defenses, says ZeroFox’s Price. And it can’t do much to stop people from clicking on things they’re convinced are legitimate.

Scott Knapp, Amazon’s vice president of global buyer risk prevention, said the number of fake order scams, in which a consumer receives a text or email claiming to have purchased an expensive item that they did not actually buy, increased this year in attendance is. Some claim there is a problem with delivery, while others are now promoting fake ‘private’ Amazon Prime membership deals.

When it comes to potentially fraudulent emails mentioning Amazon, Knapp says the best thing people can do is simply go back to the company’s website or app. If there is a problem with an order, or if the company otherwise needs to reach you, that information will be in your message center.

Is that Santa Claus? Or just the Grinch in disguise?

Of course, you can google around if the major retailers don’t have the product you want in stock, but make sure you’re dealing with a legitimate company. Be especially skeptical of ads that appear in your social media feeds promoting great, limited-time offers.

If there is any doubt about the authenticity of an offer, message or retailer, the advice is the same.

“Customers should be suspicious,” Knapp said. “It’s the old saying, ‘If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.’ Walk away from it.”

You’re almost always better off shopping on the sites of well-known retailers, but if you’re going to do business with what appears to be a discount site or even a small company, research it first. Search online for reviews and check for complaints with groups like the Better Business Bureau, Price said.

Even if you do your homework, you should be prepared for the possibility that you will lose your money to a fraudster, he said. If you don’t agree, you’re probably better off paying a little more elsewhere.

Be picky when it comes to gift cards

For some people, shopping for them is very difficult, especially if you are short on time, which might tempt you to just buy them a gift card. But experts say cybercriminals also want to cash in on these cards before recipients ever get a chance to use them.

While digital gift cards are the ideal way to use them, never buy them from a third-party site, even if it offers them at a generous discount, Chase’s Kingsley advised. There is no guarantee that they will actually arrive. And even if they do appear in the email, they may be expired or used.

While it’s admittedly difficult to wrap them up and put them under a tree, it’s best to purchase digital gift cards directly from the company that issued them or from a major retailer. If you really want a physical card, look for one with intact packaging, preferably behind the counter of a store.

Elf on the Shelter may not be the only one watching

Basic cybersecurity precautions, which you should take year-round, are a must if you want to ward off a visit from the cyber Grinch.

Make sure your devices and online accounts (bank and credit cards, email, social media, shopping website logins, etc.) are locked before you start shopping. Update your operating systems, antivirus software and all your apps.

All your online accounts need strong, unique passwords. If you need help, use a password manager. Passwords are becoming more widely available and can also make things simpler. Two-factor authentication, which requires a second identification such as a biometric or push notification sent to your phone, should always be enabled if available.

If you’re concerned about the security of your local store’s free Internet, consider signing up for a virtual private network. Good ones will both mask your location and encrypt the data you send and receive over that Wi-Fi network.

You can also simply use the mobile connection on your smartphone. It’s a lot more secure than just about any Wi-Fi connection out there.