Technology blogger Shelly Palmer reminds us that Thanksgiving kicks off the annual deluge of online deals, which can take the form of promo emails or other promos. Unfortunately, he writes, “This year, the volume feels higher and the quality feels sharper because AI tools now generate phishing emails that look exactly like what Amazon, Walmart, Wayfair, UPS, FedEx, or any major brand would send. The old visual tells are gone. The scams and their associated scam websites are practically indistinguishable from legitimate ones.”
Palmer is a professor of advanced media in residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. He warns consumers:
• Never click inside an unexpected email. Treat every holiday retail message as untrusted until proven otherwise. If something claims to be from Amazon or any major platform, go to the website or app yourself. Do not use the link in the email. Log in normally and check your orders or account notifications. If the message is legitimate, you will see the same alert inside your account. If nothing appears, delete the email.
The Federal Trade Commission offers advice on how to avoid an online shopping scam this holiday season:
• Do some research. Before you buy, search online for the seller’s name and the website URL the ad sends you to, plus words like “review,” “complaint,” or “scam” to see what others have to say.
• Pay by credit card, when possible. If you’re charged twice, billed for something you never got, or get a wrong or damaged item, you can dispute the charge with your credit card company. And if the seller says you can only pay with a gift card, wire transfer, payment app, or cryptocurrency, it’s probably a scam.
• Keep records. If something goes wrong, having your receipt and order confirmation number can help you get your money back from the seller. Also, sellers have to ship your order by the time they or their ads say they will — or give you the chance to get your money back.
