05/14/2020: Social Distancing from COVID 19 Scams

It seems like we’ve all seen the pictures of empty grocery shelves or the dreaded “Item Unavailable” on Amazon.com during the COVID-19 outbreak.  During these times, when product demand is high – it’s important to know who you’re buying from. Online sellers may claim to have in-demand products, like cleaning, household, and health and medical supplies when, in fact, they don’t.  Here are some important steps to take in regards to keeping yourself safe:

• Confirm the physical address and phone number of a company before you make a purchase.  Keep the information on hand in case you run into problems later.
• Ignore pop up messages that ask for financial information.  Legitimate companies won’t ask for your information this way.  You should also avoid emailing any financial information.
• Know what you are buying.  Read the fine print and product description in detail before making a purchase.  This includes refund policies and delivery dates.

If you think you have fallen victim to online shopping fraud – contact your financial institution for assistance on how to properly report it.