While the holidays are supposed to be a time of happiness and cheer, getting scammed is a quick way to lose that Christmas spirit.
While scams are something to look out for all year, the Better Business Bureau advises consumers to take a closer look around the holidays.
Jessie Schmidt is the vice president of BBB South Dakota. She said even she receives scam offers.
“Personally, I just received an email saying we need your confirmation to ship your order and it says I have one package pending delivery," Schmidt said. "They are trying to do is a couple of things, either steal my personal information to create additional credit in my name, or perhaps download malware to my computer that could really infect and harm that.”
Schmidt said not to let your guard down.
“We see fake websites pop up this time of year where scammers will clone websites we know and love – typically this is around luxury goods," Schmidt said. "We see a lot of shipping scams this time of year.”
But if you know what to look for, you can stay safe online.
“When you get on that checkout site, make sure its secure. Look for that https in the URL line – that “s” stands for secure – and perhaps you see a small lock on the address bar," Schmidt said. "We’re gonna tell you never enter personal information or payment information if you can’t find that on a website.”
Schmidt also recommends shopping from local businesses or online stores you’ve shopped with in the past and avoiding purchases from social media advertisements.