As online shopping has become more prominent, so have the scammers. If it looks too good to be true, chances are it is a scam. Not only do you need to watch websites you visit, but also the ads you click on Facebook, says Security Savings Bank Vice President Dorothy Ricketts:
“As with any offer, always if you are online and it looks too good to be true, in an advertisement, in an email that is sent to you from a place that you may have shopped before, but why would they send you an email, that type of thing, if it too good of a price, or a gift card at a great discount, chances are it is a scam. As we say all along, you don’t get something for nothing. You just have to really sit back and think what if it was like this in the store. You just have to be cautious. Even if I am interested in it, I don’t click on the Facebook ad. I will go out and Google to see if I can find something else or find it from a company that I already know and trust. That type of thing.”
To refrain from becoming a victim of a scam, Ricketts advises utilizing the Better Business Bureau website, research the companies before making a purchase, and contact your local banker with any suspicious activity.