ATLANTA — As shoppers continue looking for the best deals on Cyber Monday, officials are warning to beware of scammers trying to rip you off.
Director of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Jen Easterly says while there may be what looks like appealing deals and discounts, some people will be quick to steal your money and take advantage of you.
“Think before you click,” Easterly said. “You’re going to get a ton of emails with click share for this deal or don’t miss out on this deal. Scammers are trying to get you to download links or go to websites so they can steal your data and go into your accounts.”
Cyber security experts previously issued warnings about the links you click on that you see in social media ads, and those that pop up in your email or text messages from retailers, even banks.
“The three things I’ll talk about is reputable retailers, being smart about your emails unsolicited emails and such, and using a credit card as compared to a debit card,” said Cybersecurity Expert Anthony Perry.
According to the FBI, more than 12,000 people say they were victims of holiday shopping scams in 2022. That resulted in more than $73 million in losses for consumers.