FBI Warns Holiday Shoppers of Rising Online Scams

With an 89% increase in fraudulent websites, officials urge vigilance during record-breaking online holiday shopping season.

The FBI has issued a warning about common holiday scams, including non-delivery, non-payment, auction fraud, and gift card fraud, which cost consumers over $480 million in 2023.
Cybersecurity experts report an 89% surge in scam websites impersonating legitimate brands, with nearly 80% of shopping-related emails being fraudulent this season.
Consumers are advised to verify website URLs, avoid suspicious links, and use secure payment methods like credit cards to reduce risk.
Mobile shopping, expected to account for 53.2% of holiday online sales, poses heightened risks due to smaller screens and truncated URLs making scams harder to detect.
Authorities recommend reporting scams immediately, freezing compromised accounts, and gathering evidence to mitigate losses and prevent further fraud.