As shoppers rush to snag discounts Friday, officials warn that it’s peak season for scam artists.

“We hear from people every day that have been scammed one way or another. Scam artists come out of the woodwork during a time like this,” said Reanna Smith-Hamblin, spokeswoman for the Better Business Bureau’s Louisville office. “Especially during tough times, you get excited you found something good at a good price.”

In some cases, that price is too good to be true. People should be cautious of fake advertising and make sure they carefully read an entire ad, especially the fine print, Smith-Hamblin said.

“There might be this fantastic TV that’s $500, but there’s only one of them,” she said. “That happens all the time.”

Shoppers should also check each store’s exchange policy. Companies do not have to allow shoppers to return or exchange items, and some have a special policy for Black Friday. In some cases, discounted items purchased Friday are nonrefundable, she said.

“Of course, keep all your receipts and realize if an item is opened, you might have to pay a restocking fee,” Smith-Hamblin said. “As far as shopping at a store, be aware of your personal belongings.”

In fact, one of the best pieces of advice for shoppers is to leave most of their personal belongings at home, and never set them on a store counter or leave them in a shopping cart, according to Linda Chambers, manager of the Bowling Green BBB office.

“If you’ve got your credit card and you’re going to use it,” she said, “don’t take your checkbook. You don’t need it.”

Chambers also recommends that shoppers do not carry a lot of shopping bags. However, if they take items to their vehicles and then return to the store, they should always move their cars, she said.

Thieves will sit in the parking lot and look for people who take their purchased items to their cars. Then they will break into their vehicles and steal their belongings.

“There will be people I’m sure setting out, watching cars,” Chambers said. “That’s a biggie for people to look for.”

While Black Friday traditionally is the biggest shopping day of the year, the Monday after Thanksgiving draws as many – if not more – shoppers. On Cyber Monday, companies offer massive online discounts. And scam artists are in full force, officials say.

Shoppers should make sure they buy items from a secure website. The website address should begin with https, meaning it’s secure, and the page should have a small lock on its lower right hand side, Smith-Hamblin said.

“There’s always hackers out there,” she said. “They can get your information.”

Some online scams are gaining popularity this holiday season. One such scam involves electronic holiday cards. Some people might receive fake e-cards that infect computers with viruses when opened.

Shipping scams also are on the rise. People will receive emails claiming they have received a shipment from UPS or FedEx and that they must click on a link to get shipping information. But the link usually contains a computer virus, Smith-Hamblin said.

Shoppers should also be leery of buying items on auction sites, which are “hot spots for scam artists,” and they should try to pay with credit cards, she said.

Under federal law, credit card users can dispute credit card charges if the card is stolen and used. That’s not the case with debit cards or checks, Smith-Hamblin said.

Locally, complaints involving online shopping have increased, Chambers said.

“There’s a lot of Black Friday websites, and they say they have the best deals around,” she said. “But before you pick them, you want to check them out.”

To review a company, visit the BBB’s website at www.bbb.org.