Local

Georgia among riskiest for online fraud

Georgia is among the top ten riskiest states for shipping and billing fraud connected to online shopping, according to Experian.

Billing fraud is when a victim's address is tied to the payment account used to buy stolen goods. Shipping fraud occurs when a criminal uses their address for the delivery of stolen goods purchased on line. The most important thing you can do to protect yourself is monitor your accounts closely. It's best to skip the debit card and instead use and a credit card when shopping online.

"You should never, ever use a debit card for shopping online,"says WSB consumer expert Clark Howard. He says when fraud involves a debit card your rights are only preserved if you put it in writing at your bank branch. "A phone call does not preserve your rights," says Howard.

Online shopping fraud increased 30 percent in 2017, according to "The State of Online Shopping Fraud 2017." The report says the increase is linked to the dark web, and an increase in data breaches, making personal information more accessible to crooks.

If you think you've been a victim you can file a complaint at http://consumer.ga.gov/ .

Listen

news

weather

traffic

mobile apps

Everything you love about wsbradio.com and more! Tap on any of the buttons below to download our app.

amazon alexa

Enable our Skill today to listen live at home on your Alexa Devices!