Cyber Monday is upon us… BE CAREFUL
Cyber Monday is becoming almost as big a shopping day as Black Friday. You should have already started to see the upswing in email advertising. As you are getting pummeled with email ads you need to be more diligent in your email review. When real ads increase so to do the scam ads. Scam ads are very clever this year; they look real, in fact they look just like the real vendor being spoofed. So read them carefully, and ask why you got this ad. Is it part of your normal advertising based on places you frequent (GOOD!)? Or have you never seen this store before? How did they get your email?
How to stay safe? Don’t click on and follow ANY link in email ads. Try to start your shopping by going to the vendors site and put in a sale code from the email or log on as a customer to find your offer.
Before you buy, make sure the vendor is legitimate. Check the Better Business Bureau (bbb.org), or search the vendor on the web with the word “scam” after their name and look for scam listings.
LOOK FOR THE LOCK on your browser. Make sure the browser is in secure mode so you are not sending your payment information across the net in the open. Somewhere depending on your browser of choice there is a lock or indicator you are in secure mode. Look for the address to start with HTTPS not HTTP, look for the top bar to turn green, or a padlock to follow the URL line.
Shop where you know, don’t follow links you are not sure about, check with the BBB, and have a happy and safe holiday shopping season!
The Internet is full of snakes, don’t let them eat you!
-Spike