Thanksgiving week kicks off holiday sales which last throughout December, but don’t get scammed by deals that “can’t be beat”.
Alaska Regional Manager Michelle Tabler with the Better Business Bureau says many scams appear in association with Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday.
Tabler: “We want people to make sure that if they are receiving emails about deals, that they go directly to the companies website rather then clicking on for any emails that they are receiving. And of course never send cash or credit card information directly in response to an email, even it seems legit, you never want to do that.”
Another way scammers take advantage of this season of giving, is gift cards…
Tabler: “Turn it over and make sure that the number on the back hasn’t been rubbed off or comprised in some way, because scammers do go to these kiosks and rub some of the numbers. They wait to you for you to activate it and they wipe it clean, so be careful with that. Make sure that you include the proof of purchase with the gift card in case the recipient has any problems when they go back to the store.”
Tabler says the rise of Cyber Monday has increased scams which are often presented as sales by fake ads on social media. She says never click on those, instead visit the website directly.
And sadly scammers often create fake charities in anticipation of Giving Tuesday. Tabler says there are many sites, including the Better Business Bureau’s, which offer fact checks for real charities you are interested in giving to.
