Don't Get Hoaxed This Holiday Season - Tips for Safe Online Holiday Shopping

Here's a common scenario: Your son, daughter or spouse sends you a link to an item they'd like to receive as a gift. You don't think twice about it and click on the link. But if it's a fake site, you may end up on the short end, duped by cybercriminals.
This holiday season, think twice before clicking on an unfamiliar website link from a family member or friend.
Why? Because those links may be spoofed websites that look like the real thing. Real pictures of allegedly real merchandise, often with great prices. Unfortunately, you may end up "buying" goods that never arrive.
Welcome to the challenges of safe online shopping! Let us help you navigate the holiday shopping season so you keep more of your hard-earned money.
Listen to this episode and you'll learn:

• Why you should always use a credit card over a debit card, Zelle or Venmo
• How scam websites can trick us into buying fake items
• Why you should pause before buying items from sites with prices that seem too good to be true
• How an unsuspecting mom got duped by a link her son sent for Air Jordans (and how PayPal washed its hands of her problem)
• Deep fakes - what are they? (our buzzword of the day!)

Call to Action:
Have you been scammed or think you're a victim of a scam? Report it using the Better Business Bureau's Scam Tracker. Don't be shy, share this with others in your life who should know this information too.
Unsure if a website is legitimate? Visit trustpilot.com to read reviews and judge a site's authenticity.
We invite you to learn more about the Yale Cybersecurity Awareness Program.
Mentioned in this episode:

• Mother warns of 'scam' after buying £60 worth of Christmas presents on website she believed was Pandora - which looked almost identical to the genuine site
• How to scam-proof your online holiday shopping

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Learn more about Yale Cybersecurity Awareness at cybersecurity.yale.edu/awareness
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