How to Prevent Online Fraud During the Holidays | CBS47 and KSEE24

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The holiday season is a joyful time for many, but officials with the Clovis Police Department said cyberattacks increase during the holidays. However, there are precautions buyers can take to prevent fraud.

The holiday season is a busy time for online shoppers searching the Internet for the perfect gift.

However, online fraudsters see this as an opportunity to take advantage of holiday shoppers.

“You are receiving fraudulent emails and you should not click on or open these fraudulent emails because you want to make sure you know who the sender is and you do not want to expose yourself to a scam,” Anthony Puente, Police Department of Clovis said the department’s sergeant-at-arms.

According to Puente, every year shoppers are tricked into clicking on links that look like they come from well-known retail stores.

“The most common thing is that people click on these links and click on emails that are disguised to make you think they are from a sender or a specific person. And once you open those links, you become more vulnerable to fraud,” Puente said.

He said there are ways to stay protected ahead of Cyber ​​Monday.

“When you shop online, you want to make sure there is a little lock icon in the address and in the address bar. And that lock symbol means the site is secure, which means you can shop there better and more safely,” Puente said.

He also advised against using a debit card, preferring instead to use a credit card or gift card.

“You don’t want to use a debit card because it’s tied directly to your account and you don’t want a fraudster getting access to your money,” Puente said.

Puente also said he will use secure, private Wi-Fi when shopping online this holiday season.

In the event of fraud, contact local law enforcement.