FBI Directives to Help Online Shoppers Protect Themselves

December 3, 2021

The FBI recently outlined some things online shoppers need to be wary of to avoid falling victim to holiday scammers.

This includes the warning that one must remain wary of deals that are too good to be true, such as those found in e-mails, websites, posts on social media, and ads on social media platforms.

The FBI also warned those who buy a new pet to make sure they have a video chat with the pet owner to see the pet, ensuring they are not tricked into buying a non-existent pet.

The FBI advises consumers to make purchases on HTTPS websites and to be wary of online registers that use a free e-mail account instead of an address with the company’s domain.

Consumers are advised to use only credit cards designed for online purchases in transactions.

They are also expected to check bank statements and ensure that they do not store payment information in online accounts. Public Wi-Fi is discouraged for online purchases.

Consumers should also check the authenticity of online sellers by reviewing reviews and checking the Better Business Bureau for legitimacy. FBI advises consumers to pay attention to the strategies that cyber criminals use to defraud individuals, including spear phishing email campaigns aimed at circumventing two-factor authentication.

For more information read the original story in ZDNet.

Top Stories

Related Articles

June 9, 2026 Hackers exploited Meta’s AI-powered support chatbot to gain control of Instagram accounts, including several high-profile profiles. Meta more...

June 5, 2026 Security researchers have disclosed a new denial-of-service attack called HTTP/2 Bomb that can overwhelm major web servers more...

May 20, 2026 The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the arm of the U.S. government tasked with protecting critical infrastructure more...

May 11, 2026 Instructure has restored access to its Canvas learning platform after a cyberattack disrupted service for universities and more...

Picture of TND News Desk

TND News Desk

Staff writer for Tech Newsday.
Picture of TND News Desk

TND News Desk

Staff writer for Tech Newsday.

Jim Love

Jim is an author and podcast host with over 40 years in technology.

Share:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn