Fraud Alert: Watch Out for Shopping Scams

Fraud Alert: Watch Out for Shopping Scams

Online shopping has been growing for years, and the coronavirus pandemic sent the trend into hyperdrive. E-commerce sales topped $870 billion in 2021, an increase of more than 50 percent from 2019, according to retail research firm Digital Commerce 360.

Cybercriminals are keeping pace. Fraudulent online selling is the most common scam type reported to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), accounting for 37 percent of complaints to the BBB's Scam Tracker in 2021. It’s also the riskiest, with 3 in 4 victims of fake sales transactions reporting a monetary loss. The discussion and Q&A will provide guidance on how to recognize and protect yourself and your loved ones from deceptive sales pitches and buying opportunities that seem too good to be true. It is part of a monthly series titled Fraud Talk Tuesdays, which covers a different scam each month in 30 minutes or less! Each presentation is given by a trained AARP volunteer.