Thousands of shoppers fall victim to holiday scams every year. How to avoid them in Wisconsin

Posted by author December 3, 2024 Shopping

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Thousands of shoppers fall victim to holiday scams each year, costing consumers more than $309 million in non-payment and non-delivery scams just last year, according to a report from the FBI.

Credit card fraud cost consumers another $173 million in losses, according to the report.

This year, Americans are estimated to spend more on Christmas and other holiday gifts than what they estimated last year, according to a new Gallup poll. Most recently, Americans estimated holiday spending will cost them over $1,000, up from $975 last November.

In an effort to prevent holiday scams, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection released a list of most common holiday scams, plus information on what to do if you have been scammed while purchasing a product online.

Common holiday online shopping scams in Wisconsin:

Package delivery scams: Scammers can send texts and emails about failed or delayed package delivery. Opening the link will send you to a copy of a delivery company’s website asking for personal information. DATCP recommends directly going to the company’s or retailer’s website to check the status of a delivery.
Online marketplace scams: Consumers should use caution if a seller from Craigslist, eBay or Facebook Marketplace asks you to pay upfront or requests you to move your conversation to text message or another platform.
Fake website scams: Fake websites can lure consumers into make purchases, sending money to a scammer and allowing them access to your payment information. DATCP advises consumers to never open a link you are sent, even from a familiar website, and instead type the address directly into your browser.

How to shop safely online:

According to DATCP, here’s some tips to shop safely online this holiday season:

Consumers should avoid making purchases over a public Wi-Fi network because you don’t know who could be monitoring your data.
While making online purchases, you should also use a credit card because they have built-in fraud protection.

What to do if you’ve been scammed:

Consumers who have sent money to a scammer can report the scam to the mobile payment app and request them to reverse the transaction and file a complaint for the fraudulent transaction, advises DATCP.

You can also contact your lender to inquire about fraudulent transaction resources. Consumers can also file a complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Protection. You can file a consumer complaint here, and contact DATCP here.