Holiday shopping is easy, convenient and makes us more susceptible to online scammers trying to seal our personal information.
Scams are at an all-time high this year and experts say they’re more sophisticated than ever — no longer just somebody working out of their parents’ basement.
“Things have changed dramatically. It is an organized crime,” said Tami Hudson, EVP & Cybersecurity Client Officer, Wells Fargo
Social media is a gold mine for scammers, so beware of ads with suspicious links.
“Go to that website of that retailer, that bank, that business that you want to do business with. Pick up the phone and call the number on that website. Ensure that it is that website,” said Hudson.
RELATED: Bend utility department warns of potential phone scams
RELATED: Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office says phone scam claims to be sheriff
Check websites for misspellings and poor grammar and look out for fraudsters posing as banks or retailers claiming your order didn’t go through.
“Keep in mind that no financial institution will call and ask you for your credentials. No financial institution or store to ask you for your username, your password. They’re not going to ask you to transfer data or transfer money into different accounts,” said Hudson.
When possible, pay with a credit card for better fraud protection instead of debit or prepaid cards.
And trust your gut If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
