Better Business Bureau shares tips on avoiding scams while Cyber Monday shopping

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Cyber Monday is here! While shopping online is convenient and easy, you can still become a victim of fraud right from your own home.

Before you place that order on your laptop today, it’s important to know the common types of scams so you don’t become the next victim.

Total online purchase scams rose from 24.3% of all scams reported to the Better Business Bureau in 2019 to 38.3% in 2020.

Online purchase scams involve someone buying a product or service from a fake website or ad and not receiving anything in return for their payment.

Likewise, delivery scams increase during the holiday season. People receive a text or email saying their package can’t be delivered without personal information being collected.

Those aged 18-24 and 65+ tend to fall victim more often than others.

You also want to be careful with links in emails, since clicking on links from a fake business or company can put malware on your device or leak your information.

Fake website checkers, like Google’s Safe Browsing Tool, can help you determine if a website is safe to visit.

You can avoid delivery scams by avoiding delivery links sent to you and instead checking with the company’s official website.

Packages should also not be left outside for too long. Instead, have them delivered to your work or office.

You can also request a delivery signature so you are required to sign off on your package before it can be delivered.

President and CEO of the BBB serving Northern Indiana recommends the use of the BBB’s website to check out businesses beforehand. There, Walz says you can see, “how long this company has been in business, they can look at their customer reviews and their complaint history and more importantly, how the business has responded to customer reviews and complaints.”