Safe Online Shopping Tips for Cyber Monday

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Moody is urging Cyber Monday shoppers to watch out for online scams. Cyber Monday is traditionally one of the most popular online shopping days of the year—last year, consumers nationwide spent more than $10 billion. With millions expected to take advantage of online deals today, there is a chance that scammers may attempt to exploit unsuspecting shoppers. To help consumers avoid falling victim to more common scams, Attorney General Moody is issuing secure online shopping tips.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “With tens of millions expected to shop online this Cyber Monday, I want to urge caution. Scammers may try to take advantage of the increase in online shopping to steal money or financial information through various cybercrimes and schemes. To help protect Floridians, I am issuing consumer protection tips for secure online shopping.”

Attorney General Moody recommends consumers use the following tips to ensure a safe online-shopping experience:

• Double check the legitimacy of an online store by researching the store’s name and the sought-after product;
• Ensure a secure connection to a web browser before submitting payment information while ordering online. A padlock should appear in the address bar if the session is secure;
• Use credit cards, when possible, for better protection from fraud;
• Know that some debit and credit card providers offer one-time card numbers to be used for online transactions for further protection. Information on whether a particular card company offers this service is located on the company’s website;
• Refrain from clicking on links with deals that seem too good to be true; and
• Avoid using public Wi-Fi when submitting personal or financial information.

Attorney General Moody recently released the 2022 Holiday Consumer Protection Guide, containing further tips for safe online shopping and how to avoid charity-related scams. The guide also contains a list of recalled items to be on the lookout for while holiday shopping this year. To access the guide, click here.

Scams at a Glance: ‘Tis the Season is a free resource with additional information and tips to protect financial and personal information during the holiday season.

To access Scams at a Glance: ‘Tis the Season in English, click here.

To access Scams at a Glance: ‘Tis the Season in Spanish, click here.