Sunshine Sentinel

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is releasing a new Scams at a Glance resource to help Floridians avoid online shopping scams. Summer is a prime time of the year for online retailers to offer special deals and savings for consumers. Scammers and cybercriminals view these sales as opportunities to steal personal information, hack financial accounts or simply rip off consumers. That is why Attorney General Moody is releasing Scams at a Glance: E-Commerce Cons to help consumers avoid falling for fraudulent schemes when making purchases online.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Online retailers have made special mid-summer sales popular for consumers. While many shoppers plan and prepare for these deals, scammers are waiting to take advantage of the excitement. By viewing our Scams at a Glance: E-Commerce Cons resource and staying informed, Floridians can implement protective measures when shopping online and avoid falling victim to scams. Always remember that if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

Scams at a Glance: E-Commerce Cons covers tips related to common online shopping scams, including:

• Verify the legitimacy of third-party sellers before making any purchases online by researching credentials and checking customer reviews. Be cautious of any sellers with limited feedback or unusually low prices;
• Look out for phishing traps in emails, text messages or phone calls where scammers will pretend to be online store representatives. These messages may ask users to submit personal information or click on malicious links;
• Beware of fake websites that cybercriminals may create to closely resemble trusted sites—tricking shoppers into providing personal data. Double-check the URL and look for the secure lock symbol in the browser address bar;
• Use a credit card when purchasing anything online as credit card companies may offer additional consumer protections; and 
• Monitor financial accounts to check for any suspicious activity that may occur if a user falls victim to a scam.

To download Scams at a Glance: E-Commerce Cons in English, click here.

To download Scams at a Glance: E-Commerce Cons in Spanish, click here.

To report an online shopping scam, contact the Florida Attorney General’s Office at 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or file a complaint online at MyFloridaLegal.com. 

Original source can be found here.