Retailers are after you money this Holiday season with Black Friday and Small Business Saturday behind us – Cyber Monday is coming up tomorrow.  But it’s not just businesses that want your Holiday cash – scammers are out to get your money as well. Experts say that while you are taking advantage of Cyber Monday deals, be aware of scammers.  One of the tactics used by scammers that targets online Holiday shoppers is termed “smishing”.

Smishing is where hackers use SMS or text messages as a rouse to get your personal information or money.  You will get a text about a great deal with a link, but that link will take you to a fake email or web site.  How do you know if the text is legitimate?  Experts say one of the best ways to tell is if the deal looks just too good to be true – it is almost always a scam.  The link may look like it is coming from a major online retailer or chain store, but the scammers are only after your personal information so they can steal your money.  
The scammers ultimate goal is to get you to click on a link that asks you to fill out a form or make a payment through credit card.  If you have questions about an offer that appears too good to be true, look up the company’s phone number on the internet and call about the offer – never call the number given in the text or email.  The Better Business Bureau recommends calling major retailer’s information numbers listed on the company web site if you have questions about any online deals. 
Since 2020, online purchase scams have been the most reported form of cyber threat.