These Black Friday, Cyber Monday scams are rampant in NY this year. How to avoid them

As the holiday season approaches, consumers looking to get the best deals on gifts for their loved ones should be on the lookout — the holidays are prime time for scammers.

Ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, here's how to spot a scam and what to do if you find yourself a victim of one.

What scams you should look out for during Cyber Monday, holiday shopping?

Fraud expert and vice president of public policy, telecommunications and fraud for the National Consumers League, John Breyault, says there are three scams consumers should be aware of ahead of the holiday season.

Deals that seem too good to be true

Most of the time, they are.

Breyault said scammers take advantage of those looking for the hottest toys of the season or gifts that sell out in minutes by creating fake websites, taking out advertisements on social media and even creating videos on TikTok, which all try to convince you the scammers have what you want for lower prices than anywhere else.

How to avoid this scam: See what the product is being priced for somewhere else, Breyault said. If normal retail sites' pricing is much higher than the website you're looking at, it's a red flag.

Porch pirates

Porch pirates, or people who steal packages from other people's homes, took 260 million packages in 2022, according to Forbes.

"The porch pirates, we expect to be out in force to try and steal as many of those packages as they can," Breyault said.

How to avoid this scam: If you're planning on having items delivered to your front door, consider shipping them somewhere else, like an Amazon locker or your local post office, according to Breyault. Or you could leave special instructions for your delivery person to leave it in a backyard or somewhere less visible around your home.

Delivery scams

Scammers seek out their next victims through text messages, emails, phone calls and mass messages over social media platforms with some form of worry-inducing note about potential issues with your delivery.

Breyault said scammers will typically try to convince you your package isn't going to arrive, there's something wrong with your delivery or more information is needed in order to deliver the package on time.

How to avoid this scam: Don't click on any links or reply to emails, calls or text messages. And check on the status of your package by confirming the tracking number or delivery confirmation email you received after your purchase with the seller or retailer, Breyault said.

3 additional ways to avoid being scammed

Stick with known, legitimate online retailers, online protection company McAfee says, and look for the padlock icon in the address bar of your browser when you shop.

Having 'https' in the URL is also a good indicator to keep an eye on, according to Breyault, but there's no "silver bullet" way to spot an unsafe website. With AI and other templates being used more frequently, it's up to consumers to take closer look when shopping online.

Breyault recommends consumers pop the website's URL into Google with the word 'scam' after it to see if others have reported the website for being fraudulent. Consumer could also run the URL through the Better Business Bureau's scam tracker, or try calling the phone number listed on the website, if there is one, and see if you get a live person to pick up.

"Listen to your gut," Breyault says. "These fake websites are very good at trying to create a sense of urgency ... and that's usually a red flag that a deal could be fraudulent."

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Breyault also said to use a credit card opposed to a debit card because the latter doesn't offer the same protections.

"Wherever you decide to shop this holiday season, how you pay can be just as important as where you shop."

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What to do if you've been scammed

First things first, if you come across an email or text that you think is suspicious, report it as junk, Breyault said.

And if you have been scammed, report it first to your bank to dispute the transaction, then to organizations like the National Consumers League's Fraud.org, the Federal Trade Commission, the Better Business Bureau's scam tracker, or to the state Attorney General's office.

"While (reporting) may not help you get your money back or your package back because it's stolen, it does create a paper trail with enforcement agencies and helps them identify trends, build cases and hopefully put some of these scammers behind bars," Breyault said.

Emily Barnes is the New York State Team consumer advocate reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Barnes at ebarnes@gannett.com or on Twitter @byemilybarnes.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Black Friday, Cyber Monday scams are rampant in NY. How to avoid them