Top 10 Holiday Scams

Your best line of defense against fraud is to recognize a scam before it strikes. This holiday season, be on the lookout for these common types of scams.

While the holiday season is often considered the most joyful time of the year, it’s also a prime opportunity for fraudsters looking to exploit the surge in spending.

Protect your finances this holiday season by understanding these 10 popular schemes fraudsters are using.

10 Holiday Scams

1. Gift Cards

In stores, fraudsters will scratch off the activation codes on gift cards, record the information, and reseal the cards for unsuspecting customers to buy. Once the card is bought and loaded with funds, they can spend the balance remotely.

Keep your gift cards safe by purchasing them in store to ensure they haven’t been tampered with. If you’re purchasing e-gift cards, it’s best to do so directly from the retailer or a reputable site.

2. Phony Websites

Links or emails with amazing specials may reroute you to fake websites. When opening unknown emails, be wary and look for red flags such as grammatical errors. Also, instead of clicking links, access the website directly from its domain or a search engine.

3. Avoid “Too Good To Be True” Offers

Be skeptical of offers for free items that pop up on social media or while browsing the internet, especially if they require you to fill out a survey or join a fan club.

Remember, never share personal information with unverified sites because it’ll likely to be used for identity theft.

4. Package Theft

People will take items right off your front porch. Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to keep an eye on your deliveries with modern home security options. You can receive instant notifications when there’s movement at your front door, complete with live video and audio.

Other ways to avoid theft is to require a signature upon delivery or have the package held at the nearest pickup location.

5. Site Overload

During holiday sales, heavy website traffic can overwhelm systems, creating opportunities for fraudsters to exploit vulnerabilities and launch attacks – often without being noticed. Be cautious of sites that crash, as they may not be secure.

6. Malware E-Cards

Exercise care when you send or receive an e-card. While they’re a convenient, inexpensive, and fun way to spread holiday joy, it could be malware in disguise. Before clicking on any link, take a moment to verify it’s from a reputable e-card company and check for misspellings in the name or URL.

A single click could cause chaos – allowing scammers to steal your identity, target your contacts, annoy you with pop-up ads, and even give them access to your financial information.

7. Fake Charities

The holidays are the busiest time of year for charitable organizations as people are a bit more generous – something fraudsters are happy to capitalize on. Avoid impromptu donations to unfamiliar charities and never donate money by gift card, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer.

Instead, stick with well-known charities or ones you’ve successfully donated to in the past. You can also use websites like Charity Navigator or the IRS tax-exempt organization search to verify the legitimacy of an organization.

8. Pickpockets

Make sure to secure your purse, wallet, shopping bags, and other valuables while out and about.

Thieves will take advantage of crowded places to steal your personal belongings without detection.

9. Seasonal Online Employment

Seasonal workers are in demand to help meet the increased foot traffic caused by the holidays. But be wary of employment scams designed to steal money and personal information – for example, a fabricated work-from-home opportunity could trick you into sharing confidential information, such as your Social Security number, causing you to become a victim of identity theft.

10. Wi-Fi Replica

Be cautious when using a public Wi-Fi connection appearing to be made available by a business – fraudsters could hack the network and steal sensitive information such as payment information.

Never use public Wi-Fi to access personal accounts and always make sure you’re on a secured network.

Summary

Scammers are getting more and more creative in their tactics in order to steal your identity and money – make sure you’re aware of these common scams to help avoid becoming a victim.