Tips for avoiding Black Friday, Cyber Monday online shopping scams

Did you know that about 40% of Americans have been scammed while shopping online?

This is according to a new survey released by VPN service NordVPN.

“There is a rise in these scams. The survey we did this year, we found out it's up 3% from last year,” said Adrianus Warmenhoven, who works on the cybersecurity advisory board for NordVPN.

The survey found nearly 34 million Americans have been targeted by cybercriminals while shopping online during the Black Friday sales weekend.

For context, the National Retail Federation said about 130 million Americans shopped online during the Black Friday weekend, which includes Cyber Monday, in 2022.

So how can you protect your information and your money?

“If a deal is looking too good to be true, almost always it is,” Warmenhoven said.

It’s also important to use a reputable vendor and double check the URL of the website you’re on.

“Always monitor your bank statements, that's of course a given, especially after a shopping spree online,” Warmenhoven said.

Make sure there are no random charges on your cards and report any suspicious activity to your bank immediately.

Never give out your personal information like your social security number, even if some kind of bonus or gift is promised in return.

“What they were handing over is not just credit card details, but also social security numbers, where they worked, and childrens' names. All kinds of things you can use as a criminal to verify with your bank that you are you,” Warmenhoven said.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency also recommends using a credit card instead of a debit card, and checking a website's privacy policy before shopping.

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