Cyber Monday Scams Proliferate Thru The Holidays @McAfeeConsumer

7 Dec 2012 · 2 min

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This content was created by Robert Siciliano. This content was uploaded by Robert Siciliano. This is a YouTube video titled "Cyber Monday Scams Proliferate Thru The Holidays @McAfeeConsumer" (created 2012-12-07). It is a short news report about Cyber Monday and online shopping trends, featuring an anchor (Andrew Spencer), commentary from CNN Money's Laurie Segal, and an online security expert. The clip discusses increased online/mobile shopping, estimated Cyber Monday online sales (~$1.5 billion), the lure for scammers creating fake e-tailer sites (often targeting gift cards), and offers security advice such as using HTTPS, preferring credit cards over debit cards, and checking statements.

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If you weren't one of the 247 million shoppers that the National Retail Federation says hit the stores this weekend, there's still time to get bargains. Today is Cyber Monday, the day online retailers have been holding their post-Thanksgiving sales since 2005. But CNN Money's Laurie Segal says technology has been a game changer.
The origins, it used to be we got to work on Monday, Right after Thanksgiving, right after the holiday, we actually had access to broadband, to high-speed internet, and that's where the deals were. And now that's completely changed.
Now, of course, many people have good online access at home, not to mention mobile devices that let them shop anywhere. So some sites started their deals early. One data tracking firm says it expects sales today to be around $1.5 billion. That's a small fraction of the nearly $60 billion spent in brick-and-mortar stores this weekend. But it's a big enough draw for crooks, according to an online security expert.
Bad guys are creating fake e-tailer websites, and these fake sites are designed to get you to enter your credit card information. And often these fake sites revolve around gift cards.
To protect yourself, experts say to shop with retailers you know and make sure the site is secure with an HTTPS in the web address. Use your credit card instead of a debit card, and as always, check your statements. That's good advice whether you're shopping online or braving the malls. I'm Andrew Spencer reporting.