Law enforcement urges shoppers to stay safe this holiday season

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- With Christmas just around the corner, consumers are still finishing up their last-minute shopping.

According to the National Retail Federation, holiday sales for 2025 are expected to grow between 3.7% and 4.2% compared to 2024. Whether shopping online or in stores, consumers are encouraged to take precautions to ensure a safe and secure holiday gift-buying experience for their loved ones.

St. Joseph Police Department crime prevention officer, Sgt. Jeremy Peters said the most common mistake consumers make is clicking links to malicious websites.

"They will see an advertisement on maybe Facebook for something. They click a link, they follow it and they put some of their information or their credit card information, not realizing it's a compromised website," he said. "Then their credit information is stolen and used fraudulently."

According to McAfee, one in three Americans has fallen victim to an online scam during the holiday season – and of the 58% of those who’ve lost money to such scams, nearly one in 10 has lost over $1,000.

Peters said scams increase during the holiday season because there is more online activity and shopping in general.

"The scams will increase because there is a lot of demand for purchases. There are more opportunities for scammers to take advantage," Peters said.

Peters even shared a few tips on what online shoppers should be aware of as they do any last-minute Christmas shopping.

"If you're shopping online, make sure you're using familiar websites, and go to the actual business website. Don't follow links to places from your email or links that are sent to you on Facebook. Look at the webpage, the web address and make sure it's a secure web address," he said. "Take a couple of extra steps. Slow down. Look through what you're doing and make a good decision, what you're doing online."

Peters said if the deal is too good to be true, then it probably isn't worth attempting to make a purchase.

"If something seems too cheap, and you know it is something that should probably cost and it's coming in way undervalue. It's probably a reason for that, especially for something on Facebook Marketplace. If it's something that is a generally expensive item and listed much cheaper, and they're trying to get rid of it very quickly. It's probably stolen, or there's something going on, and you want to consider what you're doing."

Consumers shopping for gifts online should contact the St. Joseph Police Department if they think they are being scammed.

"Let them know the fraudulent activity. They can put some monitors in place on your bank account. They can also go ahead and cancel your credit or debit card and issue a new one to you," he said. "That way, any further transitions will be permitted. Once that's done, make a police report with us once there is fraudulent activity showing up on your account."

Consumers can contact the department by calling 816-271-4777.

Peters said there are a few tips shoppers can keep in mind while out in crowded stores.

"Keep an eye on your belongings, don't leave purses or wallets unattended, and just be aware who's around you at all times," Peters said. "Whenever you are shopping, and you're paying at a point of sale at a retail store, it doesn't hurt to double-check the credit card machine to make sure there is not a credit card scammer in place."

Peters said when transporting large purchases back to the vehicle, try to put them out of sight and cover them.

"Unfortunately, there are people who go around looking in vehicles for opportunities to steal things. If they do see something high-value or expensive lying out, then they are going to try to potentially steal," he said. "If you do have to leave stuff unattended in vechicle make sure you lock it and try to conceal it."

Consumers should park in well-lit areas, keep an eye on what's being left in the vehicle and be aware of their surroundings.

"Just be alert and aware of what's going on around you. Pay attention to what other people are doing and generally keep your safety in mind when doing things," he said.

Peters said if any suspicious activity is noticed, contact the police department.