San Francisco FBI office warns holiday shoppers of last-minute scams
SAN FRANCISCO – As people do their last-minute holiday shopping, the San Francisco FBI office is urging people who shop online to do so with caution.
"We put this as one of our top priorities because there is a significant amount of loss," said Agustin Lopez, the Assistant Special Agent in Charge for FBI Criminal Branch I at the San Francisco Field Division.
"One of the things that I do, personally, is make sure these investigations get elevated to the level that they need to be elevated to," Lopez went on to say.
The most prevalent online shopping scams circulating this holiday season are non-payment and non-delivery crimes, according to the FBI. In a non-delivery scam, a buyer pays for goods or services but never receives anything. In a non-payment scam, a seller ships goods or provides services but never gets paid.
Across the region, there was more than $7,000,000 in losses from January through October of this year, according to FBI data. That's more money than in the entirety of 2020. However, fewer people are falling victim to the crimes, said Lopez.
"If you take a snapshot of our region, Santa Clara has the highest incidence of reported crime, Alameda second, San Francisco County is third," Lopez told KPIX 5. "Fewer individuals are being taken advantage of, but those who are – the amount that is being taken is significantly higher."
Lopez said anyone of any age who shops online can fall victim to these scams. Agents urge people who believe they've been a victim of a scam to report it at https://www.ic3.gov.
The FBI provides the following tips to avoid becoming a victim of a scam:
- Before shopping online, secure all financial accounts with strong passwords. Use different passwords for each financial account.
- Don't click suspicious links or attachments in emails, websites, or social media. Especially those asking for a password or financial data. This also may result in unknowingly downloading malware to your device.
- If a company asks you to update your password or account information, contact the company on your own using information from their official website.
- Be wary of online retailers offering goods at significantly discounted prices. If a deal seems too good to be true, it likely is.
- Beware of purchases or services that require payment with a gift card.
- Use a credit card vs. a debit card to make purchases and check credit card statements routinely.
- Make charitable contributions directly rather than through an intermediary and beware of organizations with copycat names similar to reputable charities.
- Always get tracking numbers for items you buy online, so you can make sure you can follow the delivery process. Track your order through your original confirmation email.
What to Do if You Are a Victim?
- Contact your financial institution immediately upon suspecting or discovering a fraudulent transfer.
- If you believe you have been the victim of a scam, please report it to the FBI at IC3.gov or contact the FBI San Francisco Field Office at 415-553-7400.
