The holiday season is a time for joy, giving—and a lot of online shopping. Unfortunately, it’s also prime time for cybercriminals to prey on unsuspecting shoppers.  With the rise of AI and technologic advancements, online shopping holiday scams are more prevalent now than ever before. 

Picture this.  You are scrolling on Facebook and see an ad from your favorite furniture company for 80% off a coffee table that you’ve had your eye on.  The deal seems too good to be true, but you click into the ad to find out more.  After scrolling for a minute, you realize the website looks different from the original company’s site.  In addition, the web address has a slight variation that was not noticeable at first.  You decide to not purchase anything as this site seems to be a scam – and you would be right. 

You may wonder why a scammer would go through the immense effort of creating a false site that appears to be legitimate.  Oftentimes, scam artists do this to lure you into creating an account with a password that you have used before.  Once they have access to this password, they can hack into any other account that you have created with this email and password combination.  This is why we, at Nomerel, will always encourage you to use a new password for every account.  To make things easier, you can use a password manager such as 1Password or Bitwarden to autofill your passwords and keep everything in one place.  If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to contact our team and we will help set you up for optimum online security.

As your seasonal shopping increases, help decrease your stress levels by following these online safety tips.

1. Beware of “Too Good to Be True” Deals

As mentioned above, scammers often use fake websites with absurdly low prices to steal your personal and financial information.  Instead of clicking on the link, do some research first by looking up the website from a secure browser.  Look for misspellings, check reviews, and verify return policies to confirm legitimacy of the site and deal. 

2. Avoid “Free Gift” Holiday Scams

Be wary of offers claiming “just pay shipping” for a gift.  Scammers use these tactics to gather your information and send cheap items often at the expense of stealing your information. Only shop on secure websites that use “https,” in the web address as the “s” indicates that the site is secure. 

3. Shop on Trusted Platforms

Scams are often bred on an unknown website.  If you have never heard of the site before, do some research before inputting any information.  Check for security indicators, like a padlock icon and a valid SSL certificate. If you use a Google Chrome browser, you can click on the top left icon (shown below) to check if the site is secure and then click “about this page” to read more details.

4. Strengthen Your Account Security

Protect your online shopping accounts by enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) and using unique, complex passwords.  At Nomerel, we strongly recommend having different passwords for every account.  This ensures that even if one of your login credentials is compromised, your other online accounts remain secure.

5. Pause Before You Purchase

Flash sales and countdown timers are designed to create urgency, but don’t let them rush you. Take a moment to consider whether the deal is legitimate. If anything seems suspicious, trust your instincts and steer clear.

6. Monitor Your Financial Activity

Check your bank statements regularly to spot unauthorized charges early.  Use credit cards for online shopping instead of debit cards; they often come with better protection from online scams. 

7. Educate Yourself and Share Awareness

Stay informed about evolving scams and share tips with friends and family to help them avoid holiday fraud. A little knowledge goes a long way in keeping everyone safe.

This holiday season don’t let cybercriminals ruin your festive spirit. A few moments of caution can save you from financial and emotional stress.

Click here for our online shopping safety checklist so you can reference these tips any time you need them!

At Nomerel, we’re committed to helping businesses and individuals stay secure. If you have questions or need help enhancing your cybersecurity, we are here for you. Contact our team at Support@Nomerel.com today for more information!

Happy shopping and stay safe out there!

About Nomerel Managed IT Service Provider (MSP)

Nomerel is a Managed IT Service Provider headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Nomerel specializes in delivering cost-effective and reliable technology solutions for small and mid-sized businesses. Founded in 2008, Nomerel has evolved from a break-fix company to a proactive business partner that offers IT support, cybersecurity, and vCIO services, helping businesses maintain and optimize their IT infrastructure. With a focus on agility and simplicity, Nomerel ensures businesses can stay competitive without the need for in-house IT expertise.