FBI warns these are Bay Area's 2 most common scams, what to look out for this holiday season
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- It's that time of year, scammers are out to get your money while you're shopping online for the holidays.
The FBI is warning people of all ages to watch out for these criminals who have scammed people out of $200 million this year already.
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The FBI says it's best to use credit cards when shopping online.
Don't wire money directly to a seller and know who you're buying from or selling to ensure the sale is legitimate and secure.
A simple tip to know is that the website should have "https" in the web address.
It's not just buyers getting scammed, sellers are also being targeted.
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"The two most common in the San Francisco Bay Area, are non-delivery scams and non-payment scams. The non-deliver scam is just what it sounds like. Somebody will be shopping online, they'll pay for something but they won't receive the product, victimizing the consumer. The non-payment scam victimizes the vendor. Somebody will attempt to purchase the item, the vendor ships the item but the consumer who's a fraudster won't make payment," says Bob Tripp, FBI Special Agent in Charge at San Francisco's Field Office.
If you happen to be scammed, you should immediately call your bank or credit card.
That's because sometimes you can dispute a charge.
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And the FBI asks no matter how small of a loss, that you report it to their Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Head to the FBI's website to find more tips on staying safe this holiday season.
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