Money & Career

How to Avoid Online Shopping Scams During the Holidays

Fake shops, delivery texts and too-good-to-be-true deals. How to shop safely online.

Editorial TeamNovember 4, 20261 min read

Scammers are busiest when people are shopping most. Knowing the warning signs helps you protect your money and personal details.

Warning signs of a fake shop

  • Prices far lower than everywhere else
  • A web address that's slightly misspelled
  • No contact details, address or returns policy
  • Poor spelling and design
  • Only payment by bank transfer, gift cards or crypto
  • No reviews, or only very new reviews

Shop safely

  1. Type the shop's address yourself or use a trusted app.
  2. Check reviews on independent sites.
  3. Pay with a credit card or trusted payment service for extra protection.
  4. Never pay by bank transfer to someone you don't know.
Delivery textsFake "missed delivery" messages are common in the holidays. Don't click links — check your order in the retailer's or courier's official app.

Protect your accounts

  • Use strong, unique passwords.
  • Turn on two-factor authentication.
  • Don't save card details on sites you don't use often.

If you've been scammed

Contact your bank or card provider immediately, change any passwords you used, and report it to your country's official fraud reporting service.

#Money & Career#Security
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Written by Editorial Team

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