WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Better Business Bureau has launched its "Shop Safe Shop Smart" campaign ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
"I do online shopping mainly for a lot of Christmas gifts for family, for friends," Regina Foti, who lives in Jupiter, said.
Foti told WPTV that means having her guard up.
"I never click on anything from Facebook ads or Instagram ads," Foti said.
The Better Business Bureau launched its campaign this week, warning consumer that they need to be careful who they trust while shopping online.
"We see a lot of issues when it comes to fake websites," Cinthya Lavin, vice president of communications and community engagement for the Better Business Bureau, said. "Really, anyone can advertise on social media now. Because you see it on social media doesn't mean that it's legitimate. So, scammers know this. They open up offers for gaming consoles and other things at a very, very attractive price."
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Lavin said consumers need to make sure they are using secure websites.
"Really, they need to check at the security connection of that website," Lavin said. "If it says HTTP, you have to close that website and not make use of it because, really, it's an unsecure connection."
The BBB also recommends consumers use their credit cards when making purchases online for extra protection. They should never use their debit cards in case their information gets compromised.
If it's too good to be true, it probably is, the BBB warns.
"I think it's sad because a lot of people need to rely on the internet to shop and the stores don't have much inventory, so you rely online and you always have to be cautious now," Foti said.
