The Better Business Bureau has put out a warning about online scammers.

Online scammers are an ever-present threat, but they are expected to be an even worse threat going into Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday is one of the biggest online shopping events in the world. Following Black Friday, millions of consumers who wanted to avoid crowded malls and all the other chaos take to the internet to satisfy their shopping needs. Black Friday shoppers often participate as well to take advantage of deals while they last. Unfortunately, according to the BBB, online scammers are participating in their own way. Over 32,000 complaints surrounding online retailers have been reported to the BBB in 2019. There have also been 7,200 actual scam reports sent to the BBB’s Scam Tracker this year.

To help stay safe while shopping online, the BBB suggests that you remain suspicious of “free” offers. They also suggest that you teach your kids about online safety. Parental controls are highly recommended, and education on email phishing scams can help your whole family avoid a disaster.

Before you send any sensitive information, especially payment information, over the internet, look for “https://” at the beginning of the address. If there is an S at the end of the “https://”, then the site is secured through encryption, making it safer to enter credit card and shipping information. Furthermore, keeping your anti-virus software running and up-to-date can provide needed security in many cases.