Most likely, you are already searching for the best. Cyber Monday online shopping deals. Federal Bureau of Investigation offers another tip: Watch out for cyberscams.

The FBI and Department of Homeland Security have released a statement ahead of the holiday shopping season. warningShoppers and business owners alike should be aware of cybercriminals’ attempts to steal personal and financial information.

According to the FBI and DHS, “Malicious Cyber Actors are not making the same holiday plans that you,” DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency(CISA) stated in an a joint press releaseThis week. “Recent trends for 2021 indicate that ransomware attackers are launching severe and devastating ransomware campaigns during weekends and holidays.”

Cyber Monday in the United States is the biggest day for online shopping. Americans spent $1,099 billion online last year. record $10.8 billionOnline shopping is allowed during this holiday. This makes it a popular day for cybercriminals, who can target consumers and businesses using a range of techniques, including phishing scams or fake ecommerce websites.

These are just three strategies, with CISA’s FBI advice and the best tips from top experts about how to defeat them.

In phishing scams, cyber criminals pose as trustworthy organizations — like a charity or one of your favorite retail brands — and send you emails that encourage you to download attachments or click on hyperlinked text or photos in the email. In June credit reporting agency TransUnion foundDigital fraud, such as phishing attacks, was up 25% in America since 2020.

This might not be possible. detect illegitimate emailsBased on the sender’s email address. These often appear very similar to a trusted one but have altered or missing characters. Unsolicited generic greetings in emails with grammatical or spelling errors are another red flag.

The FBI and CISA said you should always be suspicious of unsolicited emails — and you can protect yourself by always double-checking the sender’s address, never following hyperlinks in the email’s body and never replying with any personal information.

CISA advises double-checking the URL. While malicious websites might look the same as legitimate sites, URLs may have different spellings or be from a different domain. the agency’s website notes.

For example, a fraudulent website might use “.net” instead of “.com.” CISA also recommends making sure the website you’re surfing features a URL starting with “https” — “an indication that sites are secure,” the agency says — as opposed to “http.”

This Tuesday CNBC reportedFraudulent websites are likely to be very popular this holiday season. There are many popular gift ideas. expected to be sold outFalse promises of availability can be tempting for some shoppers.

Last month’s update: Federal Trade CommissionIt said that it received nearly 58,000 Covid related consumer fraud reports from online scams dating back as far as January 2020. This is more than any other type of fraud.

FTC warns holiday shoppers that they need to be aware of the following: social media scams, where scammers could advertise discounts or prizes on platforms like Instagram, Facebook or Twitter — only to lead you to a malicious website where they can harvest your personal data.