Jacksonville, N.C. (WITN) – With many people online shopping for the holidays, the Jacksonville police chief is reminding people to keep an eye out for scams as they cross things off their lists.
In the digital age, not as many people do all their holiday shopping in person.
“I switch things up. There are some things that I don’t like to shop for online because I want to see what those tangible items look like,” said Chief Jarad Phelps with the Jacksonville Police Department.
Scammers will engage in phishing to try to convince online shoppers that there’s a holiday deal they can’t miss. Whether it’s through emails or a text, when you click their links, you may be providing information that could result in stolen identities or even your money.
Phelps said people need to double-check the website before giving out personal information.
“Go to vendors that you know. That way, you’re ordering from them and not being directed through a third party, because people will embed links,” Phelps said. “When you think you’re on the right website through that link, you may be directed to something else and give away your personal or financial information.”
Sometimes, people also get packages that aren’t quite what they expected. Last year, Robert Niles ordered some sweatshirts. He said the quality didn’t match what was online, and it took months for them to be delivered.
“Graphics were perfectly clean online. I get them delivered, and they were just smudgy, crappy, and the material was really thin,” he said.
Niles said he’s now more aware of where he’s buying things from online.
Porch pirates are also on the prowl, looking for boxes on doorsteps. Phelps said that there have already been 13 reports of porch pirates this year.
If you live in Jacksonville and get your package stolen, call the police department’s non-emergency number at 910-455-4000 to file a report.
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