As more people are opting for online shopping this holiday, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel shares best practices and four things to watch for. 

The holidays can bring out the best and the worst in people. For every good Samaritan that shovels a driveway or pushes someone out of a snowbank, there are porch pirates and online scammers to watch out for. In an amusing spoof of 24-hour news networks, AG Nessel shares a video message with some very important instructions for internet shoppers, many who may be buying online for the first time this year.

Online shopping has surged in 2020. CNN says it has been "turbocharged" by the pandemic. "There is some early evidence," they say, "that consumers won't revert to their old ways." For some, internet shopping is brand new. Think of elderly relatives who grew up with the Sears catalogue and a rotary phone, not Amazon Prime and innumerable other sites of varying reputations to choose from. AG Nessel cautions everyone to be savvy while shopping online.

With the holiday season in full swing, we must remain watchful for scammers and bad actors looking to steal our personal or financial information. Considering the ongoing pandemic and growing number of COVID-19 cases, many shoppers will likely avoid the stores by purchasing their gifts and products online. I am urging those people to follow these simple tips to help protect themselves from online predators.

-Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel

Watch the complete two and a half-minute video AG Nessel has shared for more tips, but here's the takeaway:

  1. Beware of tricks and tactics designed to get you to spend more money than you planned to.
  2. Keep your devices secure and only shop on secure websites.
  3. Do your research.
  4. Protect your personal information.

It is part of the Attorney General's job to protect Michigan consumers, and Nessel has had a busy year dealing with scammers targeting Michiganders' Coronavirus stimulus checks, keeping tabs on retailers' behavior during the shelter in place order and making sure online retailers deliver on their orders.

Here's hoping you get everything you want for Christmas and cheers to a brand new year.

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