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FBI Issues Holiday Shopping Alert: Online Scams Surge by 89%
The FBI has issued a warning to online shoppers as holiday season scams surge, with fraudulent websites rising by 89% compared to last year. According to a report from Forbes, nearly 80% of shopping-related emails are flagged as scams, and even trusted Google search results are being manipulated to direct users to harmful sites.
The FBI’s alert aims to help shoppers protect themselves during Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and throughout the holiday season. The warning is particularly relevant to users of popular browsers like Chrome, Safari, and Edge, which dominate 95% of the U.S. market.
In their statement, the FBI emphasized:
“When shopping online during the holiday season—or any time of year—always be wary of deals that seem too good to be true. Don’t become a scammer’s next victim. Every year, thousands of people fall prey to holiday scams, losing money, personal information, and sometimes even their festive
Common Types of Cyber Scams:
- Non-delivery scams: Paying for goods or services online but never receiving them.
- Non-payment scams: Shipping goods but never receiving payment.
- Auction fraud: Misrepresented products on auction sites.
- Gift card fraud: Being asked to pay with pre-paid cards.
The Internet Crime Complaint Center’s (IC3) 2023 report highlights the financial toll of these scams:
- Non-payment and non-delivery scams resulted in over $309 million in losses.
- Credit card fraud caused another $173 million in damages.
The FBI encourages shoppers to stay vigilant and follow safety precautions to avoid falling victim to these increasingly sophisticated scams.