If you are gearing up to take advantage of some amazing deals on Cyber Monday, you may already be researching promotions and sales on products on your shopping list.
Cyber Monday is among the most popular shopping days of the year for good reason, and that is because shoppers truly can save a truckload of cash by taking advantage of promotions on this particular day. However, while there are a considerable number of hot deals that you can take advantage of, there are also scam artists that may be trying to take advantage of you. As a Cyber Monday shopper, take note of some of the most popular scams of the season so that you can protect yourself while shopping online.
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Fake Gift Card Offers
In some cases, retailers will indeed give you a gift card valid for use on a future shopping trip when you purchase a specific item or place an order for a minimum dollar amount. However, there are bogus gift card offers that may tell you that you can get a $50 gift card for $25, as an example. These offers should be avoided if you need to click on a link that takes you to a third party site that is not affiliated with the retailer offering the gift card. To prevent getting scammed, ensure you can identify a valid steam card picture, for example. Valid cards all have 15 alphanumeric codes with each card country being identified through the text at the back of the card.
Special Offers Via Email
If you are like most consumers, you have opted in to receive promotional emails from your favorite retailers. While the legitimate emails from these retailers may have legitimate promotions and offers, the fact is that many scam artists are now creating copycat emails that look very similar to those issued by the actual retailer. These may have a link that take you to a third party site that encourages you to place an order with your credit card. If the offer seems too good to be true or if the link takes you to an unknown website, it’s best to pass that offer over and keep on shopping elsewhere.
Shopping With Unfamiliar Sites
In an ideal world, everything that you need to purchase for those on your list will be available through major or well-known retailers with well-known URLs. However, many shoppers will need to shop around to find specialty or unusual items at different stores that they are unfamiliar with, and many small websites provide promo codes for big retailer like Best Buy Verizon Wireless.
So not every store with an unfamiliar name is scamming you, and many smaller retailers across the country are appealing to a national or even international customer base through the Internet. However, when you are shopping with an unfamiliar website, it is important that you perform additional due diligence before completing your order. Ensure that your transaction is secure and that your privacy is secure. For extra safety, consider only making purchases with a credit card that offers consumer protection and through a website affiliated with the Better Business Bureau.
You truly can find some amazing deals this Cyber Monday, and as a shopper on a budget, these deals make it easier for you to stretch your holiday dollar. However, when you are shopping online, you also run the risk of being targeted by scam artists. Now that you are aware of some of the more common scams, you can take steps to prevent yourself from becoming a victim.
[Recommended reading: How to Score A Deal on Black Friday]
[Image source: thomasbriner/Flickr]
[ Smiles ] Thanks for the head’s up, Peter!