CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – The Better Business Bureau says one if five dollars spent on presents this holiday season will be bought on smartphone.
The convenience of avoiding crowded malls and long lines is appealing to more people each year.
The BBB anticipates 36% of all holiday purchases to be paid through cellphones this year.
“It is convenient. It’s a small computer in your hand,” said Renee Wikstrom, BBB director of communications.
Wikstrom says the holiday season also brings out the scammers and mobile shopping can sometimes be a trap.
“You’ve got fraud and people putting apps out that aren’t real apps,” said Wikstrom.
Shoppers are encouraged to buy through a store’s official website, not mobile apps.
“If you’re on a website check to make sure that that is a secure website. That is has an https and the s shows that it is secure. It has encryption on it. If it doesn’t have that on it, don’t use it,” said Wikstrom.
Another convenience of shopping through your phone is the option to auto-save a credit card number or address.
Wikstrom says shoppers should disconnect from public WiFi when making purchases to avoid getting personal information stolen.
“Scammers to have the capability if you hook into public WiFi in some instances to get your information off of your cellphone that way. They can spend your money. They can get your personal ID. So you have to be careful when you have all your personal and financial information in your smartphone,” said Wikstrom.
