Our Chicago lawyers want to remind consumers that the high volume shopping and spending that happens during the winter holidays makes this an especially busy time for scammers. 

Our Chicago lawyers want to remind consumers that the high volume shopping and spending that happens during the winter holidays makes this an especially busy time for scammers.

“We see it every year: scammers taking advantage of the holiday season to defraud consumers,” fraud expert John Breyault told CBS News. “From bogus holiday charity scams to dubious websites that offer shoppers can’t miss holiday ‘deals,’ scammers are adept at taking advantage of consumers’ best intentions during the holiday season.”

Here are two common consumer frauds that are perpetuated during the bustling Christmas season.

• Phony Online Stores. It has become common for some online retailers to capitalize on holiday shoppers’ desire to uncover unique gifts. These sites display and sell merchandise they may not have, then never ship it. Experts say the best way to avoid this scam is to only use well-known online stores.
• Employment Phishing Scams. The holidays can be especially rough for people who are unemployed and looking for work. Some are so eager to find a fresh job lead or temporary gig that they inadvertently give out personal or financial information to scammers via e-mail or the Internet.

If you believe you where the victim of fraud during the holiday season, the consumer rights lawyers at Markoff Leinberger in Chicago may be able to help. Call us today for your free consumer rights case consultation: 1 (888) 517-9115.