Online Shoppers In New York Warned About New Scam

As online shopping begins to ramp up in New York State for the holidays, there is a scam that shoppers should be aware of.

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Many Shoppers Plan To Make Holiday Purchases Online

There is just something so convenient about shopping from the comfort of your home, job, car, or even your bed. I'm old enough to remember when bored housewives would shop via television infomercials. I never got into that, but they walked so the rest of us could run. This year, many shoppers looking for the perfect holiday gifts will do their shopping online. According to Forbes, 16.4% of retail purchases in the United States are expected to take place online this year. In 2023 the e-commerce market in the U.S. will reach over $1.1 trillion.

U.S. Federal Trade Commission Warns Consumers About Holiday Fake Package Scams

There is a text scam that online shoppers in New York should be aware of this holiday season. If you are expecting a package (which most of us are on any given day), scammers will send a fake text pretending to be from the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx, Amazon, UPS, or another delivery company. They will say there is a problem with the delivery of the package. there will be a link within the text to take potential victims to a website that looks real but is a fake duplicate. Once on the website, victims will be prompted to pay a small “redelivery fee.” This is actually a trick to get the victims' credit card numbers and information. If you receive a text message similar to this, call the delivery company directly or the business you ordered from. Do not provide any credit card or personal information until you have confirmed that it is legit.

For help recovering money you’ve paid a scammer – visit ftc.gov/scams. Find out more about text scams at ftc.gov/textscams.