Warning Against Online Shopping Fraud

If you plan on shopping online for the holidays you should be careful. Senator Amy Klobuchar has issued a warning to consumers.

When you're shopping on-line, many pop-ups suddenly appear, offering a discount on a future purchase or some other coupon.

Many of those are post-transaction marketing scams and you may not even know you're a victim until it's too late.

There's a senate investigation targeting three companies, Affinion, Vertrue, and Webloyalty. The companies have gained more than $1.4 billion in revenue from online fraudulent sales tactics.

Some experts predict online sales will be up 8 percent this season, in anticipation of cyber Monday, when lots of consumers go online to buy their Christmas gifts.

Tips to Protect Yourself:
• Don't click on pop-ups when you're making a purchase.
• When buying on-line, take your time.
• Check your credit card statement right away to make sure all the charges are yours.
• When considering debit or credit, typically your liability on credit cards is capped at $50.
• The liability on a debit card can be much greater and cost you a lot more in the end, including the potential to rack up bad credit.

5 Most Frequent Online Holiday Shopping Scams

• Fake Holiday eCards – If you don’t recognize the sender, delete it. If the email is not addressed to you specifically, delete it. If you’re instructed to download an “executable program,” delete it.
• Fake Holiday Products – Often promoted via spam emails, always do your research. If you don’t recognize a company, don’t order anything from them until you’re sure they really exist.
• PayPal/eBay Phishing – Avoid following links that are provided for you in an email, especially if you are unsure of the sender. A frequent trick from spammers during the holidays is a link to a fake eBay or PayPal log-in page. Rather than follow links in emails, type it directly into your browser.
• Bank Phishing – Banks will never ask for your personal information, or provide your personal information, in an email. Also, keep an eye out for poor spelling and grammar. If you are not specifically addressed in the email, delete it.
• Letters from Santa – Although a nice idea for the kids, do your research. There are many companies out there that are fake. Ensure you know how long the company has been in business and check in with the Better Business Bureau to confirm existing companies.