Holiday Schedule

• Huge discounts on popular gift items, especially when hyped on social media posts or unfamiliar websites.
• Spelling errors or sloppy grammar on a shopping website or in an email.
• A travel or shopping site does not list a street address or a phone number for the business and offers only an email address or a fill-in contact form.
• A site does not have a privacy policy.
• An unsolicited email asks you to click on a link or download an app to access a discount or arrange a delivery.

Our holiday hours can be found on our Holiday Schedule.
 

• Do mouse over links in emails and social media ads to reveal the true destination URL. Click through only if you're certain it's a legitimate site.
• Do pay by credit card. That way you can dispute charges and limit the damage if it turns out you were scammed.
• Do research unfamiliar retail, travel and charity sites online. Search for their names with terms like "scam," "complaints" or "reviews," and look them up on evaluation and information sites.
• Do look for return and refund policies when shopping on an unfamiliar or suspicious site, and make sure they are clear.
• Do carefully examine gift cards at the point of purchase. Signs of tampering could mean a thief has accessed the card's PIN code and can drain its value as soon as someone buys and loads it.

• Don't conduct financial transactions on a site unless the URL begins with "https://" or there's a padlock or unbroken key icon in the address bar or at the bottom of the browser window.
• Don't buy anything online while using a public Wi-Fi network. It might not be secure.
• Don't make a purchase or donation if a website or caller seeks payment by wire transfer, gift card or prepaid card. These are like giving away cash.

• Update your computer or smartphone operating systems and anti-virus software often.
• Public Wi-Fi systems should NOT be used for online shopping or for any financial transactions.
• Shop only with reputable and known merchants.
• Use only retailers with secured (padlock icon at beginning of address) websites.
• Avoid email solicitations or telemarketers on offers that seem to be too good to be true.
• Read product or service reviews and do price comparisons.
• Understand the return policy.
• Keep all gift receipts for possible returns.
• Keep shopping bags or packages in the trunk of your car and NOT inside the car for best anti-theft protection.
• Be cautious of large crowds in a mall or stadiums due to pickpockets.