Iroquois County Sheriff Clint Perzee is reaching out to holiday shoppers to be on the alert for scammers. Too often, innocent consumers fall victim to scammers who target those least expecting trouble.

The FBI warns of cyber criminals targeting shoppers hoping to take advantage of online bargains and hard to find gift items for the holidays.

If shopping online, verify websites before making any purchase, protect your personal information, hang on to your wallet or purse. Criminals find new and different ways to make you a victim, so be alert. 

During the 2020 holiday shopping season, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received over 17,000 complaints regarding the non-delivery of goods, resulting in losses over $53 million. It is anticipated this number could increase during the 2021 holiday season due to rumors of merchandise shortages and the ongoing pandemic.

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