If you plan to get jolly at your computer this holiday season shopping for online deals, beware. Internet scammers are lurking, just waiting for the opportunity to fill your stocking with a big ol’ lump of coal.
Now more than ever, online shoppers must be vigilant.
“There are people in law enforcement who will admit off the record that the bad guys are probably about five years ahead of the good guys right now,” said Adam Levin, a consumer credit and fraud expert at Credit.com. “People tend to take convenience over security.”
In the rush and thrill of finding outstanding deals online, shoppers sometimes click on links they shouldn’t — or spend money on goods they will never see.
To avoid getting scammed online this holiday season, take a slightly slower and steadier approach. Avoid Web sites you’ve never heard of in favor of better-known outlets. If you see a great deal on a seemingly obscure site, take a few moments to open a new browser and research the site. What have other consumers said about it? Are there complaints? Is it legitimate?
Complete the purchase only on secure Web sites, those with an “s” at the end of the “http” and a padlock to the right of the URL. If the Web site has a padlock, double-click on it to make sure it has a digital certificate. For instance, the padlock for Amazon.com says the connection to that company’s Web site is encrypted — in other words, safe.
Be careful when typing in a company’s name. Sneaky scam artists sometimes buy up Web addresses with common misspellings of popular companies, then create separate Web sites designed to fool consumers.
“That’s when they ask you for information you may well be sorry you gave out,” Levin said.
Be stingy with your personal information. If a company sends you…