WARNING! Potential Online Scams in Minnesota This Year

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Not sure about you but I've already found a few deals I couldn't pass up online.  As you are aware, online shopping is in full swing due to the holidays.  If you are in the mode of filling up your online shopping cart like I am, check out the FBI warning below that they issued about popular scams.

FBI Warning to Minnesotans About Online Shopping and Potential Scams

With the holiday season here, our inboxes are becoming flooded with deals and sales from stores, pop-ups with extra savings show up on almost every website, and our personal data is being filled in online every time we make a purchase.  If you are doing any form of online shopping, the FBI laid out a few of the popular scams as well as tips to avoid becoming a victim.  And don't think it won't happen to you!  A Rochester, Minnesota woman was just scammed out of $118,000...yes, $118,000.

READ MORE: Rochester, Minnesota Woman Scammed Out of $118,000!

According to the FBI, here are a few common scams:

• Online Shopping Scams:  Scammers often offer too-good-to-be-true deals via phishing emails or advertisements. T
• Social Media Shopping Scams: Consumers should be aware of posts on social media sites that appear to offer vouchers or gift cards.
• Work-From-Home Scams:  Consumers should beware of sites and posts offering work they can do from home.
• Gift Card Scams: During the holiday season, consumers should be careful if someone asks them to purchase gift cards for them in the form of email, phone call or text.
• Charity Scams: Fraudulent charity scams, in which perpetrators set up false charities and profit from individuals who believe they are making donations to legitimate charitable organizations.  This is common during the holidays and has been seen during the pandemic.
• Reshipping Scams: These scams involve fraudsters who use stolen credit cards to buy items—usually expensive items—online. Instead of having the items shipped to the billing address, the fraudster sends them to what’s called a “reshipper.”  Fraudsters will convince unwitting individuals to be money mules and accept the deliveries and become the “reshipper.”

What to do if you are a victim of a scam? 

The FBI recommends the following:

• Report the activity to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov, regardless of dollar loss.
• Provide all relevant information in the complaint.
• Contact your financial institution immediately upon discovering any fraudulent or suspicious activity and direct them to stop or reverse the transactions.
• Ask your financial institution to contact the corresponding financial institution where the fraudulent or suspicious transfer was sent.

These tips and advice were provided during the height of the pandemic but are still valid today.  Read the full release and info here.