With the return of the holiday shopping season New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is warning consumers to be on the look-out for charity scams, identity theft and offers that are just too good to be true.

More than 3,000 cases of identity theft were reported during last year’s holidays in New York state.

Cuomo says shoppers need to be alert to criminals who seek to take advantage of the busy holiday shopping season.

He says shoppers should only buy from merchants and online sites they trust. Suspicious emails about unsolicited deals or charities shouldn’t be trusted. Protect your online information, such as passwords and account numbers. Save receipts and remember that if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

(AP)