ROANOKE, Va. – The holiday season is upon us, and each year people are wanting to get their holiday shopping done at the snap of their fingers.
In today’s world, with just the click of a button, presents start piling up at your door but that quick click can cost you.
“Never click on links that arrive in an email, unsolicited links that are either an email or a text message, or a pop-up window,” Katalin Parti, Assistant Professor with the Department of Sociology at Virginia Tech said.
When online shopping, we’re told it’s not easy to tell the difference between fake websites and real websites. Trust your gut - if the website seems fake, leave the site.
“For example, the logo is low quality, or there are typos, the English is bad, it seems like the website is automatically translated by Google,” Parti said.
Scammers can get you in different ways, some are using advanced technology to trick you and steal your money.
“They pretend they are your loved ones, but they are using AI technology to spoof your voice,” Parti said.
As Cyber Monday continues and Giving Tuesday is on the horizon, scammers are ready to play. Make sure the sites you are using are real and your money is going to the correct places.
“Please do your research before you purchase anything and before you donate anything, if you’re not sure about the legitimacy of the site please call directly the hub desk off your usual charity or your usual service provider,” Parti said.