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BBB offers guidance on avoiding online scams ahead of holiday shopping

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Published  November 29, 2022 12:16pm CST
Consumer
FOX 26 Houston

Avoiding scams during the holiday season

Doing your holiday shopping online? We have help to dodge all of the scams out there.

HOUSTON - Black Friday and Cyber Monday are in the books, but millions of people are still spending and looking for gifts for the holidays.

RELATED: Cyber Monday purchases impacted by inflation, delaying shipments | Consumer group says watch out for fake sales, how to find actual lower price

The Better Business Bureau is now warning people, especially those who shop online, to beware of holiday shopping scams. BBB recommendations for researching online retail sellers: 

  • Check BBB.org for BBB Business Profiles and consumer reviews.
  • Search for online reviews.
  • Look at Scamadviser.com to learn how long a website has been in operation. A recently created website may be a red flag.
  • Review the website's URL for misspellings or other errors.
  • Examine the URL with Google's Transparency Report tool.
  • Use a map app to verify the business's address.
  • Remember the adage: If a price is too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Make sure you can pay by credit card, which offers the most protection against loss.
  • Treat a social media or email ad with suspicion until you have investigated the company behind it.