By Kim Komando The Kim Komando Show Published December 2, 2024 3:31pm EST close Cybersecurity expert details how to avoid Black Friday shopping scams online Fifty percent of online consumers are scammed online per year, and 30 percent of them are victimized on Black Friday. Follow these simple precautions from Leyla Bilge, director of Norton's Scam Research Labs, to protect your money and privacy. To keep you and your money safe, I make it a point to always let you know about spreading scams, from crypto catfishing to AI deepfakes. I bet youre going to be surprised by this news: The crime that shot up 400% last year is old-school checkfraud.Were giving away a $500 Amazon gift card. Enter to win now. No purchase necessary.Its not high-tech, but itishighly effective. In 2023, check scammers stole$26.2billionfrom Americans like you and me, right out of ourmailboxes. You need to make sure you dont become a statistic.HOW TO (KINDLY) ASK PEOPLE NOT TO POST YOUR KIDS' PHOTOS ON SOCIAL MEDIAHow crooks write themselves a blankcheckScammers coordinate in private groups on Telegram, Facebook or TikTok to share tips and sell tools that make it easy for scams to spread. One of their tricks? Buying universal keys that can open any USPS drop box or snapping up books of blank checks from the DarkWeb.But plenty of crooks just swipe checks right from your mailbox. Then, they use simple household chemicals like acetone to dissolve the ink and write themselves (or their alias) some spendingmoney.Fraudsters deposit their haul at an ATM or right from their couch through a banking app, then they withdraw the cash in chunks so it doesnt trigger alerts. Before you or your bank know it, theyre on their way to the casino, buying designer goods or investing in real estate you nameit.RELATED: 563,588 people start their day withthis free tech newsletter. Old-fashioned check fraud is en vogue as of late, with instances of the crime shooting up some 400% in the past year. (Fox News)What are banks doing aboutit?Banks are cracking down on fraud with stricter deposit policies and extended hold times on deposits. So, if youve noticed your funds arent clearing as fast as they used to, its because banks are taking extra time to verify deposits for potentialfraud.A recent viral TikTok glitch exploited J.P.Morgan's instant access feature for deposits from bad checks. Scammers flooded in, and many ended up being sued proof crime doesntpay.5ways to protect yourself and yourmoneyUse a USPS-approved locking mailbox.This one($99, 9%off) has an extra layer of security that keeps casual thieves from easily grabbing yourmail.Set up notifications for suspicious activity.Check your bank account regularly for anything unusual. I have alerts set up for withdrawals over a certain dollar amount, as well as fraudalerts.Skip the mailbox.For recurring bills or one-time payments, apps like Zelle, Venmo or PayPal, or even ACH transfers, are secure and eliminate the risk of stolen checks. If youreallyneed to send something sensitive, like birthday money, drop it off inside a post office instead of using an outdoormailbox.Sign up for USPS Informed Delivery.This free servicelets you see and track your incoming mail online, so youll know if something goes missing before it arrives (ordoesnt).Only use fraud-resistant pens.My favorite low-tech solution is to write checks with a pen specifically designed to prevent ink from being altered.This 4-pack is my go-to. USPS Informed Delivery and fraud-resistant pens are just a few ways you can better insulate yourself against check fraud. (Fox News)If any of your checks go missing or you suspect fraud, file a report immediately not just with your bank, but also with USPS and your local police department. Be sure to ask for a case number so you can track the progress of yourclaim.The biggest checkwriters are baby boomers. They dont likechange.SHARING IS NOT ALWAYS CARING: 7 DANGEROUS THINGS TO POST ONLINEGet tech-smarter on your scheduleAward-winning host Kim Komando is your secret weapon for navigating tech.National radio:Airing on 500+ stations across the US -Find yours orget the free podcast.Daily newsletter:Join 559,000 people who read the Current (free!)Watch: OnKims YouTube channelPodcast: "Kim Komando Today" - Listen wherever you get podcastsCLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPCopyright 2025, WestStar Multimedia Entertainment. All rights reserved.