Shopping? How to avoid delivery thefts, ID fraud, sale panic and other seasonal scams

Social media teems with videos of boxes being swiped off porches. The internet means fraudsters don’t have to show you their face to fool you. And the big business of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa means it’s also a busy time of year for criminals.

Here are some online shopping tips for getting through the season without being victimized:

SAFE SHOPPING

Don’t use public WiFi:

Use private networks to keep information you enter into the website from being lifted.

Check companies and websites: Amazon used to sell just books. Walmart wasn’t born an ubiquitous chain of megastores. Everybody was small at some point. Don’t avoid lowerprofile, less-established companies just because they’re not giant retail institutions. But do your homework. Check with the Better Business Bureau for complaints. Search court records where the business is based for any lawsuits. Remember, a company’s social media posts really are just advertisements for the business. Yelp, Google and Amazon reviews can be manipulated.

Also, check for product recalls from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

“When ordering online, ensure that the web browser has a secure connection before inputting or submitting payment information,” the 2023 Holiday Consumer

Protection Guide from the Office of Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody says. “In the address bar, a padlock should appear to signify that your session is secure.”

Don’t fall for time pressure:

“BUY BEFORE 10 PM WEDNESDAY AND GET 50% OFF!” Before you rearrange the schedule and your money so you can take advantage of this bargain, step away from the keyboard. Put the phone down.

If you know you want that