Cyber Monday shoppers urged to beware of online scams amid holiday rush

WSET — As millions of Americans do their holiday shopping online during Cyber Monday, experts say cyber criminals are just as busy.

Brian Hudson, Chief Information Officer at the University of Lynchburg, said Cyber Monday creates the perfect opportunity for online scammers because shoppers are rushing to grab the best deals.

He warned that even small red flags can signal big trouble, like slight misspellings in website addresses or suspicious links claiming to track a package.

That sense of urgency makes us let down our guard, and simple typos in website names can really slip by your eye, and the bad actors are counting on that lack of attention,” Hudson said.

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Hudson said slowing down and double-checking before you click can make all the difference.

He said if something feels off, play it safe by opening a new page and searching for the website on your own. Don’t rely on any link that seems suspicious.