Palos Park police warn of online scams on Black Friday weekend

PALOS PARK, Ill. - Palos Park police are warning consumers about online scams they may encounter while shopping online during the Black Friday weekend.

Scammers may use emails and fake websites in their phishing and malware attacks, police said in a statement. Sometimes these emails will look similar to legitimate communications from companies and may create a “sense of urgency” around holiday sales.

Police are advising consumers to double check who’s sending the email and to take time making sure an email or website is genuine.

The use of fake websites promoting discounts has more than doubled since last November’s peak, according to police. Spelling errors are a common indicator of a fake website.

“Remember if a deal is too good to be true then it probably is,” police said.