As the holiday shopping season heats up with Black Friday and Cyber Monday fast approaching, the FBI is issuing a critical warning to online shoppers about the rise in cyber scams. According to a Forbes report, there has been a staggering 89% increase in fraudulent websites compared to last year, with nearly 80% of shopping-related emails flagged as scams. Even trusted platforms like Google are being manipulated, with scammers using search results to direct users to malicious websites designed to steal personal information or money.
The FBI’s alert is particularly focused on users of the most popular web browsers in the U.S.—Google Chrome, Apple Safari, and Microsoft Edge—since these browsers together dominate 95% of the internet browsing market. As millions of Americans engage in online shopping for holiday deals, cybercriminals are taking advantage of the increased activity. The FBI urges users to stay vigilant and follow safety precautions to avoid falling victim to these online threats.
The FBI also reminded consumers to be cautious of deals that appear too good to be true, warning that scammers often target shoppers during the busy holiday season with enticing but fraudulent offers. “Every year, thousands of people become victims of holiday scams. Scammers can rob you of your hard-earned money, personal information, and at the very least, ruin your festive mood,” the FBI cautioned.
The agency identified several common types of cyber scams that shoppers should be aware of. These include non-delivery scams, where consumers pay for goods or services they find online but never receive their items; non-payment scams, in which goods or services are shipped, but the seller never receives payment; auction fraud, where products purchased through auction sites are misrepresented or fail to arrive; and gift card fraud, where scammers ask for payment using prepaid gift cards.
Data from the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) supports the urgency of the FBI’s warning. The IC3’s 2023 report revealed that non-payment and non-delivery scams resulted in more than $309 million in losses last year alone, while credit card fraud accounted for an additional $173 million in damages. The IC3 typically receives a high volume of complaints in the early months of each year, indicating a clear correlation with scams that take place during the holiday shopping season.
As online shopping continues to grow, the FBI urges consumers to remain cautious, scrutinize deals carefully, and report any suspicious online activity to help combat the rising tide of cybercrime.
