FBI Warns Illinois Residents of Vicious Holiday Scams

There's no good time to be the victim of a scam, but it can be especially troublesome during the holiday season. The FBI is warning residents of Illinois about nasty scams that are trying to take advantage of those doing holiday shopping.

This new bulletin from the FBI in Chicago is a stark warning to everyone in Illinois doing holiday shopping called "FBI Chicago Warns Public About Growing Frauds and Scams Throughout the Holiday Season". They say that in Illinois alone, there was a total of $500 million in fraud complaints to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. Those targeted the most were those in Illinois above the age of 60.

The FBI warns that if possible you should make gift purchases with a bank or debit card and not a gift card. Scammers love asking for gift cards since there's little that can be done to reverse charges. They also advise never providing personal information to any solicitor via email or text.

How can you avoid getting ripped off in Illinois?

• Only purchase gifts from reputable businesses that you know and trust
• Be wary of buying from websites that mimic known brands with slight variances in the URL
• Don't donate to any organization that you aren't familiar with - give to non-profits you trust
• Keep an eye on your bank account for unknown charges

The holidays are a prime time for scammers looking for victims. That's why the FBI wants everyone in Illinois to be especially vigilant. No one should have to spend their holidays trying to figure out how to recover stolen money or gifts.