Cyber Monday scams are rampant in NY this year. How to avoid them

Online shopping this holiday season?

November 27 this year is Cyber Monday and fraud expert for the National Consumers League, John Breyault, told Gannett News there are three scams consumers should be aware of ahead of this holiday season:

• Deals that seem too good to be true
• Porch pirates
• Delivery scams

There is also information on what to do if you've been scammed.

For more information on each scam, and how to avoid it, click here.

Holiday Shopping Season: Beware these "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" scams.

With Thanksgiving only a few days away, the public should look out for the oncoming influx of scams tied to holiday shopping.

Business Insider asked experts for the warning signs that shoppers should be aware of when it comes to Black Friday deals. They include:

• Don't fall for early temptations — the deals could be better on the actual day of Black Friday. Don't fall for early temptations; the deals could be better on the actual day of Black Friday.
• Watch out for deceptive store hours.
• Be careful with handing out sensitive information when you're calling stores to put items on hold.
• Examine all delivery-related emails and texts closely — some of them may not be legitimate.
• Beware of fake offers from non-trusted and third-party sites.
• Don't fall for unusually high discounts or sales.
• Watch out for stores suspending their price-matching policies, or else you could end up stuck with a bad purchase.
• Read the fine print on coupons and promotions — your favorite products might be excluded.
• Be wary of freebies. • Beware of door-buster deals.
• You'd be wise to ignore deals on certain products that will get even cheaper at other times of the year — even as early as December.

Meanwhile, the Detroit Free Press offers other tips to stay safe on Black Friday and Cyber Monday:

• Beware of pitches for hot toys you can't find.
• React fast if your password doesn't work.
• Take the extra steps for ID verification.
• Examine that gift card before you buy it.
• Don't fall for text from the bank — it's a scam.
• Be aware of e-skimming.
• Be wary of attachments in any email that you receive.
• Use a credit card, instead of a debit card online, for more consumer protection.

How to protect yourself from Cyber Monday scammers

A new report says Cyber Monday provides the perfect environment for cyber criminals: “They offer up distracted shoppers and ample opportunity. An estimated 164 million people are planning to shop between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday, and online sales alone are expected to reach up to $143 billion.” Here are some tips from to protect yourself online:

• Shop only on secure Internet connections. 
• Do not be tricked by confusingly similar website and domain names.  
• Protect yourself by using credit or debit cards.  
• Beware of misleading bargains and added fees.  
• Compare warranty terms.  
• Know the terms of a layaway plan.  
• Check return and refund policies.  
• Beware of restricted gift cards.  
• Be wary of too-good-to-be-true contests and prize promotions.  
• Read the fine print. 

For more information on how to protect yourself from Cyber Monday scams, click here.

Consumer alert issued for Black Friday, Cyber Monday

In advance of the Christmas and holiday shopping season, New York State officials have the following tips for consumers shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday:

• Beware of misleading bargains and added fees.
• Compare warranty terms.
• Know the terms of a layaway plan.

• Check return and refund policies.
• Beware of restricted gift cards.
• Shop only on secure Internet connections.
• Do not be tricked by confusingly similar website and domain names.
• Protect yourself by using credit cards.
• Be wary of too-good-to-be-true contests and prize promotions.
• Read the fine print.

More on each of these tips can be found at the link above.