'Tis The Season For Holiday Scams
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - It's the time of the year for gifts and holiday cheer.
But before spending money, there's something you need to hear.
"Scammers never take a holiday," said Claire Rosenzweig of the Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan New York.
Rosenzweig says 'tis the season for holiday scamming: The kinds that comes back to bite you after Christmas. She cautions consumers on what to look out for in something we're calling "The 3 Post-Holiday Scams."
Scam #1: Lookalike websites. They may look legit, the real big box stores, but sometimes they're not.
"They're not real. They are going to take your money, and either you're not going to get anything in return or what you get is going to be much less quality," Rosenzweig said.
To avoid falling for it, research the company before buying anything.
Scam #2: Free trial offers. They sound great and they cost nothing, just shipping and handling, right?
"You give them your credit card. The next thing you know, you are now charged for a subscription. You are being charged every month for this product," said Rosenzweig.
How to avoid it? Work with well known companies and read the terms and conditions.
Scam #3: Fake shipping notifications. They look real enough, like a faux FedEx email telling you you've got a parcel that was unable to be delivered, or asking you update your password. Click the link, put in your personal information and all of it could be going directly to a scammer's site and could lead to identity theft.
To avoid it, if you're not sure an email is legit, or you're not expecting a package, find the number for the company and call them up yourself.
To Learn More About Other Scams The Better Business Bureau Is Tracking: Click Here