WVU expert offers holiday safety tips when shopping during the holidays

CLARKSBURG, W.Va (WDTV) – With the holiday season already here people are preparing to do more holiday shopping.

Experts are reminding people to stay when shopping this holiday season.

“I also think its really important when you are out about shopping to be aware of your surroundings and to be cautious,” said Jennifer Friend. “If something gives you a bad feeling just trust your instincts and move to a safer location.”

It’s important to bring a cross-body bag when you are out shopping at different stores. That way it ensure that your wallet or anything valuable stays with you at all times.

When you are online shopping it important to make sure the website is real or not because scammers can make a website appear real. It’s important to check the URL page when you are shopping online.

“Most of our trusted websites are going to ones that we know are going to make sense that they have type of URL,” said Jennifer Friend. “So, take a look at that and see if makes sense if doesn’t make sense or it says something fishy then maybe don’t purchase from that website.”

When people are out shopping it is important to make you go with other people or go in groups, and if someone is making a last-minute purchase make you check if it’s actually a deal or not.

“A lot of times people think it oh its thirty percent off I’ll go ahead and get it not even look at the price,” said Jennifer Friend. “They think more about if it’s fifty percent off and they don’t look at the original price of that item,” said Jennifer Friend. I think it really important to look at the original price of that item to see if you are actually getting a deal.”

If you would like more information about staying safe over the holidays or looking for more additional resources on holiday scams. You can head over to the WVU Extension page for more information.

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