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Fake websites, Instagram giveaways, and Secret Santa contents are the
common scams consumer need to avoid right now.

SocialCatfish.com released a study on Online Shopping Scams to
Avoid This Holiday Season using data from the FTC and the FBI’s IC3
through 2020.

A record $4.2 billion was stolen from Americans last year.

The 10 states most at-risk, based on how much they lost to fraudsters in
2020, include:

1) California: $621 million

2) New York: $415 million,

3) Texas $313 million

4) Florida: $295 million

5) Ohio: $170 million

6) Illinois: $150 million

7) Missouri: $115 million

8) Pennsylvania: $108 million

9) Virginia: $101 million

10) Colorado: 100 million

Online shopping has also been the No. 1 [4] most common scam reported to
the FTC nationally relating to the pandemic, which has led to the scam
surge with more people operating online.

HERE ARE 5 ONLINE SHOPPING SCAMS TO AVOID THIS HOLIDAY SEASON:

1. MISSING PACKAGE SCAM: Capitalizing on inevitable supply chain
delays, scammers pretend to be FedEx and send an email with a link to
track your package. When clicked on, these malicious links steal your
personal and financial information. They also may text, leave
voicemails, or place a "missed delivery" tag on your front door.

HOW TO AVOID: Never click a link or call back a number from an
unexpected delivery notice. Always contact the company directly using a
verified number or website.

2. SOCIAL MEDIA SECRET SANTA: A pyramid scheme called "Secret Sister"
is circulating on Facebook. Scammers recruit "sisters" with the promise
that if they buy a $10 gift for another member, they will receive 36
gifts in return. A version of this scam includes exchanging bottles of
wine.

HOW TO AVOID: Do not respond to communication from "Secret Sister" or
do an exchange "for the good of the sisterhood."

3. FAKE RETAILERS AND WEBSITES: Look out for fake websites that
advertise enormous sales on popular gift ideas that are out of stock
everywhere else due to supply chain issues. Fake sites have a domain
name with an extraneous letter or number, grammatical errors, and
limited contact information.

HOW TO AVOID: Research the company and read customer reviews before
purchasing. Google their name with the word "scam" to see if anything
comes up.

4. HOLIDAY CHARITY GIFT SCAM: In addition to traditional gifting,
people may donate to charity on someone’s behalf. This increased during
COVID-19 and ramps up every year during the season of giving. Scammers
pose as a fake charity to solicit fraudulent donations. Often, they pick
a name that sounds close to a well-known charity.

HOW TO AVOID: SEARCH THE CHARITY ON A PUBLIC DATABASE such as BBB Wise
Giving Alliance [5] and Charity Navigator [6].

5. FAKE INSTAGRAM GIVEAWAYS: Around the holidays, brands and influencers
offer free product giveaways. Scammers are using a technique called
"like-farming," where they ask you to like or comment on their post for
a chance to win a holiday prize. They include malicious links and steal
your personal information.

HOW TO AVOID: Look for the blue checkmark which social media platforms
use to verify a real page from copycats. Watch for typos and accounts
with limited content.