There’s one holiday tradition nobody likes: Fruitcake. Even worse, somehow, are all the scam and fraud attempts. Like clockwork, they pop up yearly as we shop for gifts.
The most ambitious scammers have started creating massive shopping websites where everything is fake. The site looks real, professional and filled with products at low prices. Get to the checkout, your online cart vanishes and now hackers have access to your bank account or card.
Don’t get caught up in the holiday glitter and fall for one of these carefully crafted traps. I’ve got your back with all the giveaways.
Phishing emails? Sure. Fake texts? OK
But faking an entire shopping website? Scammers are targeting (see what I did there?) popular brands like Best Buy, Macy’s, Tiffany’s, Bed Bath & Beyond, Hardaddy, Brooks Outlet and many more.
And dang, do they have details. The URL looks fine, the logos and slogans are there, product pages look normal and they’ll add legit payment platforms. Some even have the trusted HTTPS certification and (faked) reviews.
How do you end up there in the first place? It starts with social media ads and emails. Then you’re tempted by extra-low prices, special holiday discounts and free shipping.
Spoiler: You aren’t getting that product you ordered, or it will be a cheap pile of plastic at best. You’ll likely end up with a malware download that steals even more personal information.
Spot fake sites fast (before clicking confirm)
It’s a scam Scrooge himself would call too far. Here’s my quick cheat sheet to check before making a single click:
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