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Consumer Advocates Urge Shoppers To Be Aware Of Cyber Scams This Holiday Season

SACRAMENTO (CBS) — Online sales are soaring this holiday season, but so is the threat of online crimes.

CBS's Lisa Rozner has tips to make sure you can keep your information secure while shopping, and don't fall for a scam.

"Cyber Monday, I hit it hard," Nadine Lopez said.

Experts warn hackers are hitting the web hard for the holidays too, and online shoppers are a big target.

"They are a big target, and it's trending up," Better Business Bureau, President & CEO Claire Rosenzweig said.

The Manhattan District Attorney said a quarter of complaints are about cyber crimes. A big trend involves imposters creating websites that look like the real thing.

"You might have pop-ups and you start clicking, and before you know it you're clicking all the way down the line and who knows where you end up," Roesenzweig said.

There's even fake apps. The Better Business Bureau said they often have misspelling mistakes and are downloaded from social media.

"When you look at terms and conditions you notice, oh they're sharing my information with XYZ and you might not know where it is," Rosenzweig said.

If you're planning to log on, experts said where you do it is key to protecting yourself.

Shopping through data or a public network is where others might be shopping for your information.

"Somebody's leaning over your shoulder even though you don't see it," Cary Ziter, New York State Department of Taxation said, "And remember to look for the 's-http' at the start of your browser's URL to show the site is secure."

The Better Business Bureau said the average consumer is losing up to $400 in scams, and many shoppers are taking their own measures.

"I mostly pay with PayPal so that I don't keep putting my credit card into every app or website that I use," Rose Appell said.

Extra steps, some say they'd rather take at home, than taking steps to the actual store.

The Better Business Bureau also has a tool called the 'scam tracker' where you can report suspicious activity.

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