Sunny Days and Shady Deals

FLORIDA - This week, we kicked off our 2024 Sumer Scams Series: Sunny Days and Shady Deals edition with a warning about online sales scams.

It is common for online retailers to offer special deals and discounts during the summer months.

This can create a flood of online traffic and wherever money is being spent, scammers are usually there for a piece of the action.

They impersonate major brands by setting up imposter websites to trick people into sharing sensitive information. Scammers also send phishing messages containing malware, and once a target clicks the link, their information is compromised.

We created a resource to help people avoid summer shopping schemes—called Scams at a Glance: E-Commerce Cons. https://www.myfloridalegal.com/sites/default/files/2023-07/e-commerce-cons-v1.pdf

In it, you will find the following tips:

• Ensure the website is legitimate and not a spoofed “look-alike”

• Never click on links in solicitations

• Know that if the deal is too good to be true, it probably is

• Pay with credit cards that offer additional consumer protection

• Avoid buying from sellers who request payment from a third-party source

You can report online shopping scams or other fraudulent activity at 1(866) 9NO-SCAM.

By staying vigilant, you can take advantage of summer sales securely and help us build a Stronger, Safer Florida.