FBI Warns Missourians of Holiday Shopping Scams to Watch Out For

It's hard to believe that we're already on the cusp of the holiday shopping season. Many retailers will begin their push toward the peak shopping season in October and that's one reason the FBI is already issuing warnings about holiday shopping scams to watch out for.

The FBI has a bulletin of scams they're seeing already as many in Missouri get ready to get their holiday shopping done both through brick and mortar stores and online. Here are some warnings they're giving about how to know you're potentially dealing with a scammer:

If the seller of a gift wants payment with a pre-paid gift card

If you make a purchase with a bank or credit card, you should have recourse if a seller doesn't come through with the product they promised. If the purchase is done with a pre-paid gift card, you're likely on your own.

If you try to purchase a gift through a link in an email

Many scammers can send emails with graphics that make it look like they're offering products from a respected company, but the links they provide are phishing schemes that will not result in a gift purchase, but will drain your bank account and steal your personal information.

Be careful purchasing through any social media site

Sites like Facebook Marketplace are a popular place where users can buy and sell items, but perpetrators also prowl there and will misrepresent items just to get payment from you without delivering an item.

The Missouri Attorney General has warnings about common scams especially gift cards in the state. You can never be too careful especially when shopping in the next few holiday months.