PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Cyber Monday is underway as many holiday shoppers are turning to online deals to get those must-have gifts at great prices.
But while you navigate through online promotions, you'll want to check twice as cybersecurity experts are calling this the Super Bowl of online scams.
The challenge is navigating through all those Cyber Monday deals on social media and figuring out which are real and which aren't.
At The Gardens Mall, holiday shopping is in full swing, where people tell WPTV they do a mix of in-person and online shopping.
So what should you do to make sure you don't get scammed?
For online shopper Mark Galvin, a fake online promotion cost him hundreds on golf shoes that he never got.
"I'm a golfer and last year a little pop-up came up on a Facebook ad, and it was for FootJoy, which is a popular brand and it was like 75-80% off and I never got the stuff," Galvin said.
He said he disputed the charge but never got his money back.
Galvin still does about 80% of his shopping online he said, because of the convenience and speed of delivery. He was at The Gardens Mall with his wife doing the rest of his holiday shopping.
According to online data collection company DemandSage, consumers last year spent $13.3 billion during Cyber Monday. Cybersecurity expert Alan Crowetz said social media is the Wild West when it comes to Cyber Monday deals.
"People tend to think if it's online or a major media site then it must be true," Crowetz said. "Always vet things, I hate to say it but as a cybersecurity expert, assume the worst. If it's too good to be true it probably is."
Crowetz said there are a few red flags you can look out for.
First is to be cautious any time you see a time limit on a deal or a limited supply on the item. He said the pressure causes consumers to let their guard down. Also make sure you're shopping through a credited online company or website.
Crowetz said be careful when you're clicking on ads that redirect you to a different page, and watch out for influencers that are getting paid to promote a product.
"A lot of these influencers out there are very popular and they may have a million people following them but that doesn't mean they know what they're talking about," Crowetz said.
He said you have to do your research to see if the "discount" price is actually a deal.
Comparing the history of costs may reveal that the price of an item was increased before Cyber Monday, and "discounted" down to the same price it was previously priced for.
Also, he warns to be careful for fake online reviews that were most likely paid for by companies.
Shopper Donna Alexander said she loves shopping but says she's skeptical by all the online deals she sees on social media.
"I don't always trust them," Alexander said after she fell victim to an online scam earlier in the year. "It was supposed to be lawn chairs, never came, never saw them."
That's why the self-proclaimed bargain hunter went to The Gardens Mall for the rest of her holiday shopping.
"I like to see it, feel it, touch the product," Alexander said. "I don't pay full price for much of anything."
Another tip from Crowetz: If you're shopping online, use your credit card instead of your debit card. Crowetz said you'll have a better chance to dispute a potential scam and get your money back.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
