Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody wants to make sure your holidays are an enjoyable time with family and friends.
“With one less week between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, many Floridians will need to tackle their holiday shopping lists sooner. The fast pace of the shopping season brings with it more opportunity for scammers to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers," Moody said. "I encourage everyone to take steps now to safeguard their personal information and finances and avoid falling prey to common holiday scams and identity theft.”
Her office has some ways to help keep this time as stress-free as possible.
- Don't wait until the last minute to shop. That way you can stick to a realistic budget for holiday shopping, and you'll be less likely to fall for high-pressure sales tactics and impulse buying.
- Be wary of prices that seem too good to be true.
- Deal only with reputable retailers.
- Know the store's refund policy.
- Be wary of using your credit card to buy stuff over the phone.
- Ask the store if any warranties or guarantees will be honored by the manufacturer or retailer.
- And when donating to charitable groups -- be sure to give wisely.
The AG’s office says you should use the same amount of caution and common sense when making charitable contributions as when you go shopping.
For more tips, access the full 2019 Holiday Consumer Protection Guide here.
To view the guide in Spanish, click here.
For a complete list of all product recalls, please visit CPSC.gov.
Any consumer who has questions about making secure holiday shopping purchases or encounters a scam can call the Attorney General’s Fraud Hotline at 1-866-9NO-SCAM or visit MyFloridaLegal.com.