BBB: ‘Tis the season - for scammers!

DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) - Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just days away.

It’s a time when millions are expected to turn to online shopping.

The Better Business Bureau says it’s also the time scammers try to line their pockets with your money.

The organization says scams reach a whole new level during the holidays.

“One of the things about scammers is that they thrive on need,” BBB Communications Manager Alex Derencz said. “Say for example, there’s always that hot toy that comes out each Christmas that every parent is trying to get, and you go to different stores, you’re unable to find it, these scammers have these fake websites where they say hey here’s this product right here and it’s at a fantastic price.”

Their number one tip: If it seems too good to be true, it usually is.

“If there’s a really expensive jacket that normally costs $300, and you go to a website that you might not be too familiar with and they’ve got it for $40, it looks great,” Derencz told News 4, “but you really want to pump the brakes because again, that’s where baiting you with that good price comes into play.”

BBB wants online shoppers to make sure they’re using trusted websites.

“When you look in your address bar, you’ll see “https” and you’ll also see that little lock icon, that means you’re dealing with a secure website,” Derencz mentioned.

Always use a traceable payment method, such as a credit card.

“Another red flag, is one of the ways that scammers get folks’ money is by requiring them to pay via gift card or one of those peer-to-peer payment apps,” Derencz explained. “They know that once you send that money to them, you’re not getting it back.”

Avoid making quick purchases through social media, and always do your research.

“Just like we love the holidays, scammers love the holidays, and one way you can give them a bad holiday season is by shopping with trusted retailers both in-person and online,” Derencz finished.

If you think you spotted something that didn’t look right, report to the new and improved BBB Scam Tracker.

For additional information from BBB, click here.

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