The state Division of Consumer Protection is reminding New Yorkers to be informed consumers when purchasing gifts this holiday season, including upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.

In 2017, there were 22,023 identity theft complaints reported by consumers in New York state during the holiday season, a 9 percent increase from 2016. According to the FBI’s 2017 Internet Crime Report, New Yorkers claimed a total loss of over $88 million resulting from cyber-related crimes.

This holiday season, and all year long, consumers are urged to keep the following tips in mind when making purchases:

Gift Cards and Gift Certificates: Per state law, a gift card cannot expire any earlier than five years from the date of purchase. Likewise, ‘dormancy fees’ for non-use cannot be imposed if the card is used within two years of the purchase date, and any such fees must be waived where the cardholder uses it within three years of the purchase date. Consumers should always review the fine print and check for hidden fees or any restrictions on the use of the gift card. Consumers should use caution when buying gift cards from third parties or online auctions, as it is difficult to verify the dollar amount remaining — if any. Likewise, when buying a gift card, shoppers should make sure the packaging and security seals are intact.

“Big Ticket” Items: When purchasing big ticket items, consumers should:

¯ Look for and review warranty coverage on the specific item;

¯ Check stock availability at the store; and

¯ Evaluate financing options carefully.

As consumers comb retail advertisements, they should take note of the fine print and the quantity of the product available at the advertised price, as well as whether rain checks are available.

Layaway Plans: Layaway plans vary by store. Consumers should make sure they read all terms in the contract and have their questions answered regarding the payment schedules, refund policies and penalties for missing a payment before moving forward with a layaway purchase. A copy of the contract and a record of payments should be retained by the purchaser.

Refund and Return Policies: Consumers should review a store’s refund policy before considering a purchase. If the store does not post a return policy, the law requires the store to accept a return within 30 days of purchase. Shoppers should inquire whether the store imposes a re-stocking fee for returned merchandise and determine prior to purchase if the item can be returned for a refund or store credit only.

Credit Cards: Holiday purchases may cost consumers more than what is on their receipt. The Division of Consumer Protection urges consumers to track their spending, be cognizant of credit card limits and stick to a realistic budget. Consumers should verify receipts and reconcile them against their statement. In addition, consumers are cautioned against using their credit card for cash advances, as fees and interest on such transactions are higher than for credit card purchases. Consumers should always review monthly credit card statements carefully to ensure they are being billed for the correct dollar amount.

Shop Safely Online: Consumers should protect their personal identifiable information when making purchases online. It is imperative that consumers ensure they are conducting their transactions over a secure connection. Consumers can check this easily: Simply look at the URL of the website. If it begins with “https” instead of “http” it means the site is secured using an SSL Certificate and that communication with the webpage is encrypted. Consumers should also look for a small padlock icon in their browser’s address bar, which also denotes that the site is secure.

Beware of Fake Websites: As fraudsters continue to advance in sophistication to perpetuate a scam, fake websites resemble legitimate sites, with very credible-looking logos, pictures, and payment options. If the website is advertising extremely low prices, or discounts beyond 50 percent, consumers should be wary and diligently verify the legitimacy of the seller:

Before shopping at an unknown website, consumers can verify the authenticity of the seller and site via an online search engine review. Consumers should look for a small padlock symbol in the browser’s address bar to verify that the site is secure.

Typos on the web site are a red flag that the site may not be legitimate.

Consumers should review the copyright date and domain creation date, as recently created sites are a tell-tale sign of scam sites.

Online Security: Consumers should not use public computers or public Wi-Fi for any purchases or personal banking. Public computers may be compromised with malicious software. Additionally, criminals can intercept traffic on public wireless networks to steal credit card numbers and other confidential information.

Consumers should secure their computers, mobile devices and home Wi-Fi networks by ensuring that the operating systems and antivirus software are up to date with the latest security patches. They should also ensure their home Wi-Fi network has a strong password.

Consumers should think twice before clicking on email links or pop-up advertisements. Unsolicited email offers or pop-up ads that appear to be from legitimate businesses may contain viruses or may be scams that sell knock-off products or never deliver purchased goods.