IDOR Urges Residents to be Alert While Online Shopping

As the holiday gift-giving season kicks off, the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) is urging Illinoisans to stay alert when shopping online and to take simple steps to protect themselves from fraud and identity theft.

According to the PEW Research Center, about 1 in 3 U.S. adults report experiencing an online shopping scam. The FBI also reported that online scams and internet crimes are on the rise, with a record $16.6 billion in losses occurring in 2024.

To help combat the increase in online scams and crimes, IDOR shared some helpful online safety tips for Illinois shoppers:

· Shop with trusted retailers

· Pay with a credit card, rather than debit cards or other payment options

· Check for secure websites and look for https in the URL

· Use strong passwords and enable multifactor authentication

· Avoid public Wi-Fi for online shopping or financial transactions

· Monitor your financial accounts regularly

· Protect your personal and tax information

· Be alert for delivery and tracking scams

Follow these helpful tips and tricks to stay alert and be on the lookout for cybercriminals this holiday season.