Another tip in a series provided by the Offices of Information Security, Information Systems & Computing and Audit, Compliance & Privacy

Holiday shopping can be stressful if you are on the hunt for the perfect gift. It is easy to get scammed. Be wary of shops advertised on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. While the ads may be slick and prices good, many of these shops are fronts for scam vendors. Before purchasing, do the following: 

• Check to see if you can find information on the vendor or shop. Do you find any information on the shop other than social media advertisements? The shop’s name might look like an established one, but it may have made subtle changes to the name or domain to fool you.  
• Read the terms of sale carefully. What are the terms for returns or refunds? Make sure you know what to do if there is a problem or question with your order. Examine the site in general. Do all links work? Do they provide complete information? 
• Check to see if the product is available from other vendors. Are the images taken from other sites? Many shops use third-party companies based overseas that manufacture the products, allowing you to find the same item from multiple vendors. 
• Visit the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website to assess if the business is legitimate and read comments about this business. 
• Watch prices; deep discounts on high-value items during the holidays are unusual. 

If you decide to purchase, use a credit card instead of a debit card, so that if there is a problem with your order, you may be able to get assistance from your bank. Do not use payment methods such as PayPal’s “friends and family” option, Zelle, or CashApp. These payment methods do not have the same protections as credit cards.

For additional tips, see the One Step Ahead link on the Information Security website: https://isc.upenn.edu/security/news-alerts%23One-Step-Ahead