Prior to online shopping, people used buildings like this, known as malls for their purchasing needs. (Wikipedia)
After the dust has settled on Black Friday, now we move on to Cyber Monday. The biggest online shopping day of the year will not only make a fortune for retailers but also for scammers who are out in force today. The FBI have published a list of guidelines and rules for buyers.
Here are the guidelines:
Purchase merchandise only from reputable sellers, and be suspicious of websites that do not provide contact information; also be wary if the seller only accepts wire transfers or cash.
Do not respond to or click on links contained within unsolicited (spam) e-mail.
Be cautious of e-mails claiming to contain pictures in attached files; the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders. Scan the attachments for viruses if possible.
Log on directly to the official website for the business identified in the e-mail instead of linking to it from an unsolicited e-mail. If the e-mail appears to be from your bank, credit card issuer, or other company you deal with frequently, your statements or official correspondence from the business will provide the proper contact information.
Contact the actual business that supposedly sent the e-mail to verify that the e-mail is genuine.
If you are requested to act quickly or there is an emergency that requires your attention, it may be a scam.
Fraudsters create a sense of urgency to get you to act quickly.
Remember—if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
