The holiday shopping season is on and the scams are expected to heat up.
Marc Simmons is the Director of Investigations with the Better Business Bureau of Southeast Florida. He says online purchasing scams continue to be the number one most reported scam.
"These take the form of paying for items, buying online and not receiving them, credit card information being collected and then later used fraudulently."
He says copycat websites are also a popular form of online shopping scams.
Wayne Picone with Seniors versus Crime, a project of the Florida Attorney General's Office, joined the BBB in their "Shop Safe, Shop Smart" campaign.
"Read the label. I've had people come into the offices and said 'Well listen see I've got the logo.' Well they've been counterfeiting $20 bills for 200 years. What is a logo. A logo does not verify the company itself."
To avoid getting scammed, don't simply trust an ad that you see on social media. Type in the retailer's actual website and shop from there.
Picone also suggests you not use a debit card when purchasing gifts online.
You'll find more safe shopping tips at BBB.org/holiday.