Holiday shoppers warned to watch for online counterfeit good scams [Video]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – From sneakers, to handbags, and watches, a UAB Digital Forensics expert says this holiday season scammers are selling all kinds of fake products online.

Laura McLester, an assistant professor and program coordinator with the UAB Digital Forensics Program, says it is important to remember if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

However, there are ways to ensure consumers are getting a real product from a reputable source.

Shoppers should purchase gifts from mainstream websites.

The expert says to never click on a suspicious link. Instead, search for the store and find the product on their official website.

Also, double check the URL on the site being visited, especially on phones. That is because only part of the URL is typically on display on a narrow phone screen.

“Scammers will make it appear reputable,” McLester shared. “For example, they’ll put paypal.com, but when you see the whole thing, it’s got this whole …