“Don’t fall for ‘too-good-to-be-true’ deals.”
The following is a message from Gloucester Township Police Department:
Monday is a big day for online retailers. It has come to be known as “Cyber Monday” where millions of Americans take advantage of online deals for holiday gifts. If you’re one of those millions surfing for a good deal, be sure to keep yourself protected from losing money from scams or fraud.
We have some tips for safely buying items online:
• Paying with a credit card will offer more protections than a debit card.
• Use trusted vendors. Bookmark the most trusted online retail sites to make sure you don’t get redirected to fakes.
• Don’t fall for “too-good-to-be-true” deals.
• Go directly to a store’s website instead of using search engines to look for deals.
• Watch out for social media scams, especially on Facebook. Cybercriminals are using fake or compromised Facebook accounts in order to post links to amazing deals that don’t actually exist.
• Check statements regularly to make sure the only charges are ones you’ve made.
• Keep record of order confirmations and receipts with a designated folder in your inbox.
• Don’t use public wi-fi, only secure connections.
• Lock devices with a password so data is protected even when your phone is out of your hands.
• Don’t fork over extra info. If a site starts asking for out-of-the-ordinary personal data, like Social Security numbers or password security questions, slam on the brakes and get the heck out of Dodge.
