How Do You Know If You Are Getting Ripped Off When Holiday Shopping?
Even though the holidays are over, it is still important to know if you are getting ripped off while shopping. After all, you don’t want to make the same mistakes when buying gifts for the next holiday season. Did you lose extra money buying gifts last year? How would you even know? Sometimes, it can be easy to tell if you’re getting ripped off, while in other situations, it can be a little bit more complicated if you don’t know what to look for.
An example of being ripped off would be if you made a purchase using a “fake deal.” When a website or store “marks down” a price, but the price is the same as if it weren’t on sale, that is a fake deal and one of the most common ways to get ripped off during the holidays. This dishonest marketing technique is fairly common during Black Friday!
As a consumer, you should compare the prices of the same or similar items at other stores before purchasing to ensure you get the best deal.
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Another way a person can be ripped off is by purchasing from an unsecure website or clicking a link from a text, email, or social media ad offering a deal for an item. If you were holiday shopping and clicked an ad for a hot item on Instagram and went to a third-party website, you may have lost some of your information and privacy to online scammers.
Additionally, you can compromise your banking information and get ripped off if you buy online on an unsecured website. If you went holiday shopping on a website that looked suspicious, scammers might have ripped you off after you purchased your items as well. Always check reviews online and make sure the website is secure before purchasing anything to avoid getting your information stolen.
If you did one of the previously mentioned examples, it can be unsettling to know you may have lost money or compromised your banking information. However, there are ways to get back on your feet after falling victim to a scam. You can always contact your financial institution about the incident to see if they can help you recover your money or even freeze your account if your information is leaked. If that doesn’t work out, you can file a complaint with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) by visiting the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Not only can you freeze your bank account or funds during these tough situations, but filing a complaint can warn others about the scam and keep track of the thieves.
If you have fallen victim to a scam while shopping, you are not alone, and there are solutions. On top of this, there are other strategies you can consider to help you avoid scams in the future. Keep reading to learn some tips you can follow to avoid getting ripped off when holiday shopping this year and every year after.
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What Can You Do to Avoid Getting Ripped Off When Holiday Shopping?
There are many things to remember when you go holiday shopping. For example, make sure to do your research if you’re venturing into a retailer’s website you haven’t heard of before. Search “(retailer name) scam” on Google and see if people have had any complaints or issues about the vendor. If multiple people report issues about the retailer, it’s best to avoid them altogether.
Additionally, if you get an email or text with an incredible deal, the best practice is to ignore it. Contact the retailer about the message or research this “deal” online to see if it’s true. If the same vendor sends another message requesting you to click a link, don’t press it, even if it seems legitimate.
It’s worth noting that you should never respond to requests asking for your personal information. Instead, you should contact the company directly with their published email address or phone number and confirm its legitimacy. Even if a message seems accurate, you should never let your guard down since scammers have become more intelligent with their schemes.
However, despite all the tips you can read about avoiding scams, the smartest tip is to question everything you see. If something feels too good to be true, then it probably is. If you’re holiday shopping online, double-check the website to ensure that past customers have successfully placed orders so you aren’t getting into anything shady. As a consumer, you must do your due diligence and research whenever something feels off to avoid getting ripped off.
Source: freepik.com
Learn How to Be a Smart Shopper and Stay on Top of Your Budget During the Holidays
The best thing you can do to stay on top of your finances during the holiday season – besides being on the lookout for scams- is to learn how to budget properly. Learning how to budget correctly involves prioritizing your necessary expenses, such as your utilities, payments on title loans or other debt, and housing costs, like your mortgage.
Additionally, budgeting efficiently during the holiday season and the rest of the year will involve cutting out any unnecessary expenses. Cutting back on shopping, eating out, and other luxuries is your first step to creating a healthier budget that will set you up for success. It’s important to prioritize the necessary expenses and be mindful of where your money goes each month by monitoring your spending habits as an informed consumer.
While buying gifts during the holidays is an important part of the season, and there’s no need to skip it if you are struggling financially, you shouldn’t try to go overboard. As a smart shopper, you can even try to gift everyone something homemade this holiday season, such as personalized ornaments or even clay coasters! Focus on making thoughtful, meaningful gifts that your loved ones will appreciate.
Whether or not you are budgeting for the holidays, it’s also important to be aware of potential scams and how to stay safe while shopping online to avoid draining your bank account!
