From Black Friday to Cyber Monday, we’re in the midst of the holiday shopping season. But while you’re looking for deals, scammers are trying to make deals.
Experts warn that shoppers should be wary of emails they may receive that promote very deep discounts, such as 80% to 90% off. These emails may appear to come from a legitimate retailer, but they could be a scam containing links to fraudulent websites.
There has been a massive 250% spike in the creation of fake shopping sites, according to data from NordVPN.
Now, scammers are also using artificial intelligence (AI) to make scam shopping sites look very legitimate.
Experts say to always check the URL, make sure it contains a padlock symbol and begins with “https.”
Also, shoppers should be aware of another scam where criminals send a package directly to your mailbox. It is usually a very small and unwanted gift.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service calls it a “dental brushing scam.”
The gift is often a fake diamond, comes with a message saying it’s free, and all you have to do is register it with a QR code.
“Do not click on this QR code. Do not scan it. Do not provide any personal information,” U.S. Postal Inspector Marjan Barrigan Husted told ABC7 On Your Side Investigates.
He said personal information could be used to drain your accounts.
If you get a ring or other small item from this type of scam through the mail, the gift is yours.
“You can keep the item if you want,” Barrigan-Hastead added.
The main idea is – when you are shopping online, be very careful of any suspicious links or QR codes. A great rule of thumb is that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
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