Online shopping scams costing consumers millions; how to protect yourself

As you get ready to shop this holiday season, if you're buying anything online, make sure to do your research.

According to the Better Business Bureau Online Scams Report, online shopping fraud cost victims $380 million in just one year.

The data claims 36% of online retail fraud starts through a fake website. These copy-cat look-alike websites attract shoppers are the items they offer are popular hard-to-find products like specialty shoes or electronics.

ABC11 showed you how this even happens when scammers create fake websites when it comes to booking a vacation or flight with an airline. The Federal Trade Commission's data also reports online shopping as its top reported fraud.

"Research the company, see if there's any sort of history of reviews or complaints against them, but also research these specific products you're trying to buy and read all the reviews from customers that previously bought it," Nick Hill with the BBB of Eastern North Carolina said.

Also be leery of websites and unsolicited e-mails that sound too good to be true, especially extremely low prices on hard-to-get items. You should always go with your instincts and not be afraid to pass up a "deal" that might cost them dearly in the end. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Before putting in any payment information, see where the company is located. Also, make sure the website is secure by looking for the "s" in the lower-right corner for the "lock" symbol.

If there are any doubts about a site, BBB recommends right-clicking anywhere on the page and selecting "Properties." This will let you see the real URL (website address), and the dialog box will reveal whether the site is encrypted or not.

Of course, always pay with your credit card for the most protection.