Keeping Yourself Safe While Online Shopping

by Michelle Tabler, AARP Alaska Volunteer Fraud Education Expert


Everyone is doing more shopping online. But Alaskans especially increasingly rely on online platforms to find products not available locally. Sometimes we crave shopping in stores, touching the merchandise, trying on clothes, but you can’t beat the convenience of going online any time of day or night and ordering exactly what you want for delivery to your front doorstep. Scammers know this and are targeting shoppers to obtain credit card and personal information. Watch for these red flags:

• Fake shopping websites: Look for copycat websites that mimic your favorite retailer. With AI technology, websites look more professional and use proper grammar (incorrect grammar used to be a dead giveaway of fake websites). Check the URL address to make sure you are on the correct site. Instead of clicking from an ad found in social media, it’s best to type in the company name yourself. Using search engines can often result in links for companies that are paying for placement so it’s best to avoid sites that indicate “sponsored.”
  
•  Too good to be true: Beware of sites advertising products at bargain prices. Scammers will tempt you with products priced far below their value. If you receive the merchandise at all, it may be a substandard, shoddy knockoff. In most cases, shoppers do not receive anything, and the scammers walk away with your credit card and personal information. Another scam: you receive a message that your card was declined. If you try another credit card, you’ll find that both cards have been charged and compromised. Dispute these charges with your credit card company and as a precaution, change the passwords you used for your online shopping.
  
• Research: For unfamiliar companies, search the name of the company with terms such as “scam,” “complaint” and “reviews.” Check to see if there is a physical address for the company and try calling the phone number to see if you can reach a customer service representative. Always pay by credit card so you can dispute fraudulent charges (never use your debit card). Scammers may require you to pay with a wire transfer or gift card. Never do that – that’s a red flag for a scam.
  
• Reviews: Look at product reviews. Are the reviews provided by “verified purchasers and for the same product? I’ve sometimes found that the product mentioned in the review is not the same as the product I am looking to buy. A newer scam, referred to as “brushing,” occurs when sellers send an unsolicited package to an individual and then use that unsuspecting person’s name in a fake review to boost product ratings. If you receive an unsolicited package, avoid scanning any QR codes or clicking on any links included in the paperwork. You can report this mail fraud to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service online.
  
• Endorsements and free trials: Be aware of sites that have celebrity endorsements touting the product. These are usually scams. Search online with the name of the product and the name of the celebrity to verify. Watch also for free trial offers as they often lead to recurring charge subscriptions that you may not want and that are difficult to cancel. Your only recourse may be to file a dispute with your credit card company.

Online shopping may seem quick and easy but do your research to make sure you keep your credit card and personal information safe.

For more information, visit AARP.org/money/scams-fraud/. The AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 is also a free resource.