Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS
Office of Consumer Protection

NEIL ABERCROMBIE
GOVERNOR

KEALII S. LOPEZ
DIRECTOR

BRUCE KIM
OCP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 25, 2014

STATE OFFERS ONLINE HOLIDAY SHOPPING SAFETY TIPS
Consumer Protector Warns Shoppers to Beware of Fraudulent Deals

HONOLULU —Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ (DCCA) Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) Executive Director Bruce Kim today warned Hawaii residents to protect themselves as they gear up for the holiday shopping season.

“One of the biggest complaints we hear about is Internet fraud,” Kim said. “Many people will spend the holiday weekend at the malls and online to make their gift purchases. We want to make sure Hawaii residents are wary of the con artists lurking on the Web.”

Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving Day, has been a high sales day for online shopping. Kim wants Hawaii residents to protect their identities and bank accounts from potential fraud.

“Don’t let the possibility of saving some dollars cloud your common sense. If that deal sounds too good to be true, chances are it is,” Kim said.

Here are some tips from OCP for your online shopping safety:

· Only do business with reputable companies.
· Use a secure browser. The website address should begin with https:,
instead of the usual http:.
· Use one credit card to make all online purchases.
· Print and save all receipts and confirmations.
· Make sure you clearly understand a company’s return policy.
· Check the company’s privacy policy.
· Never respond to an offer by way of a spam or bulk e-mail. If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
· If you receive an e-mail asking for personal information, do not hit the reply button or click on any link in the e-mail. Instead, go directly to the sender’s website by typing in its web address.

The State of Hawaii’s DCCA Office of Consumer Protection educates and protects consumers from unlawful acts or practices by companies which may cause harm to consumers. If you have further questions about our services, contact the Office of Consumer Protection at (808) 586-2636.

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Media Availability: OCP Executive Director Bruce Kim will be available for interviews on Wednesday Nov. 26, from 9 a.m. until noon.

Media Contact:
Lindsay Chambers
Multi-media Education Specialist
(808) 587-6735
[email protected]
cca.hawaii.gov