Be Alert to These Common Scams During the Festive Season

With the holiday rush, it's easy to let your guard down. Amidst the hustle of last-minute shopping and travel deals, you may find yourself more susceptible to scams.

Current Holiday Scams to Avoid

During the busy holiday period, the chaos becomes a breeding ground for fraudsters to exploit, says Amy Nofziger, senior director at a fraud prevention organization.

A recent survey involving nearly 2,000 American adults revealed that almost 90% encountered or became victims of some form of scam during the previous holiday season. Common scams include fake shipping alerts, package theft, and fraudulent charity appeals.

Recognizing these fraudulent strategies can help protect you. Nofziger outlines four scams frequently reported by her team this season.

Deceptive Social Media Storefronts

Scammers often set up shop on social media, selling counterfeit branded items like clothes or jewelry. They use stolen logos or purchase similar-sounding domain names to appear legitimate, closing operations scam once orders are placed.

Nofziger advises if dealing with unfamiliar vendors, conduct a thorough search by typing the vendor's name followed by 'scam' or 'complaint' to see what others have experienced.

Use credit cards for online purchases to benefit from better consumer protection, especially if fraud occurs. This makes reclaiming lost funds easier.

Gift Card Frauds

Beware when buying gift cards, as fraudsters can access the numbers and PINs before purchase.

These scammers take batches of gift cards, record their details, and return them to racks. If value is loaded onto any of these cards, the scammers deplete it quickly, often before you even exit the store.

Purchase gift cards stored at the front of the shop where they're under more scrutiny, or opt for digital cards to prevent tampering.

Fraudulent Delivery Messages

Nofziger warns that during gift-giving season, increased package deliveries present opportunities for scammers.

Perpetrators send messages claiming to represent delivery services, stating issues with shipping details. Most issues, however, would be communicated directly by the vendor.

If you receive such a text, contact the shipping company via official customer support to confirm any deliveries or address discrepancies directly on their site.

These cases are typically attempts to gather your personal information through phishing.

Too-Good-To-Be-True Travel Offers

With escalating holiday travel costs, tempting deals might seem like a chance to save money, but be cautious.

Nofziger’s team frequently hears of car rental scams where customers are asked to prepay with gift cards, only to find upon arrival that no vehicle is available.

Stick with travel companies you trust, and thoroughly check out any new service before committing.

If you're tricked by any of these scams, remember it happens often. Promptly report the incident to authorities and organizations dedicated to fraud prevention for support.