How to avoid ‘Cyber Week’ scams
LAS VEGAS ( KLAS ) — As “Cyber Week” deals spread from online outlets to social media shopping, so too have opportunities to scam unsuspecting consumers.
According to the National Retail Foundation, Monday is expected to be the year’s busiest shopping day, second only to Black Friday.
“Cyber Monday” is expected to draw 71 million Americans to shop online, equal to 2022’s numbers. The unofficial shopping holiday is popular not just on traditional online outlets but also on social media. Purchases of trending merchandise are now an option on sites like Instagram and TikTok.
However, the rise in popularity and availability of online shopping can lead to an increase in scams, according to Christopher Warner, a cybersecurity expert . He said that sometimes the deals aren’t quite as sweet as they seem.
“Validate that price and actually go directly to the merchant and say, ‘Hey, are you offering this deal through this platform, are you offering this deal through Facebook,’” said Warner, advising scrutiny for deals shoppers may be interested in cashing in on during Cyber Week. He suggests double-checking deals by leaving social media apps and going directly to the merchant’s website to see if the deals exist there.
Warner said there are other indications when looking out for scams, citing a fake free turkey message recently spreading online.
“If you start looking through the email —it was completely spelled wrong,” said Warner.
Warner warns that some scammers also use machine learning to create emails, texts, and even phone calls to fool shoppers.
Those who fall victim to scams can report them to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center and file a complaint. Reports can help law enforcement track down cybercriminals. However, Warner says, it’s difficult — if not impossible — for scam victims to obtain a refund.
