Holiday deals are here, scammers are ready to take your money: What to know before you click 'Buy'
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- The holiday deals are already happening, which means scammers are also ready to take your money. If you're shopping online, the key this holiday shopping season is to not just click buy without doing your research.
"Right now, the situation has become so much more complex that it's almost impossible for a consumer to be able to assess whether something you're buying online is a scam or not. It's really complex," says Leyla Bilge with Norton. She adds that shoppers can be lured by fake e-shops, which are fraudulent online stores designed to look like a legitimate retailer to steal your money, personal data, or both.
An ABC11 viewer reached out to Troubleshooter Diane Wilson and said she bought what appeared to be Uggs on a site advertised on social media. The price for two pairs with tax, just $63.00. She even got a tracking that claimed the shoes were shipped and delivered. The problem she says she never got the package, and now the online company no longer exists. This viewer is disputing the credit card charge.
According to Norton's 2025 Cyber Safety Insights report, 62% of Americans say they're likely to jump on a holiday deal the moment they see it, and often without researching it.
Bilge says, "You see it, you click, and when you click, the website will even begin opening inside the app, so you just put in your credit card information, and the shopping is done."
Instead, Bilge suggests researching the retailer or storefront that is offering the apparent deal. Find reviews from customers about product quality, how long it takes for the product to arrive, and pay particular attention to what happens if you have a problem with your order. Also, always look at the URL, as scammers are clever, and Bilge says create websites very similar to legit retailers, but just add an extra letter or number at the end of the website.
Another step you can take is to take a screenshot of the site or copy and paste the text message, social media post, or email and upload it to a service like Norton Genie. Genie is a free, AI-powered scam detection tool that Norton says analyzes emails, texts, and websites to help identify potential scams.
Bilge said, "It will be telling you whether this is like scam or not because we have this knowledge because we have around 500 million users in our customer base that we have. We are analyzing the data and trying to come up with assessments on the background."
Often, through social media, you'll be offered special holiday pricing if you put in your personal information. Be very careful entering that, as while yes scammers want your money, your personal information is also very valuable to them.
