By: Mars Bourke
The winter holiday season can be a breeding ground for targeted scams. This is the time of year where most people are buying gifts, donating money, and traveling. That’s makes it the perfect time of year, in the eyes of scammers, to target everyday people. From fake phone calls to almost impossible sounding deals on popular items. It’s good to be aware of the more common scams that one may find themselves apart of this holiday season.
Gift card scams are considered to be one of the most prevalent consumer scams in the United States. This is mostly due to how easily it is for one to acquire a card from almost any major retailer. Common gift cards that scammer request recipients to buy are Apple or Google Play cards. Recently though, there has been an uptick in requests for Target, Walmart, and eBay gift cards as well. These scams can commonly come from both over the phone or via email. The goal is to get the recipient to buy and then send the gift card information over to the scammer. From there the scammer then redeems the cards money. Scammers often pretend to be from utility companies, government offices (IRS, Social Security, etc.), or even family members with monetary emergencies.
To avoid these scams its best to always remember that no real company will demand you to pay for things with gift cards. If you receive a phone call requesting such payments, hang up. An email requesting the same, report it for phishing. If you feel you may have been taken advantage of by such a scam keep ahold of your gift card receipt and the physical gift card. Then call the help number provided on the back. Companies are very aware of these scams and have procedures set in place to help consumers who fall victim to them.
Scam calls, or robo-calls, are nothing new, but during the winter holiday season there seems to be an uptick in call frequency. Utility bill scams, calls about unpaid purchases, and banking scams are just to name a few. These types of scams try to trick the recipient into giving away personal and financial information over the phone. They use lies of “overdue” or “unpaid” bills and services. These lies can be an all-too-common fear for most. This makes them easy to fall for due to the “urgency” they present.
If a call like this ever comes through the best course of action is an easy one, hang up. You can also then check your latest bill payment, call your bank, etc. to give yourself some piece of mind. Remember, never give personal or financial information over the phone to an unknown caller.
“Too Good to Be True” Online Prices
This being the time of year can be expensive, taxing, and sometimes downright difficult. It can sometimes feel impossible to acquire those trending gifts that your friends or family members may be asking for. Scammers use this to their advantage. They create false advertisement or websites garnered to trick unsuspecting buyers into giving their personal information for the chance to get a “good deal” on high demand items. Emails, text messages, and fake ads can be used to direct unknowing shoppers to what appear to be perfectly legit shopping sites. These messages usually showcase “Too Good to be True” deals in hopes of getting a consumer’s financial information.
The best way to avoid these fake sites and ads is to stick with sellers and sites you’re familiar with. One should also ignore suspicion texts and emails promising “crazy deals.” Keep in mind that items that appear below their market price, prices too good to be true, most likely are. The risk is not worth the deal. However, there are some things one can do when a site feels sketchy. Look up reviews from genuine customers, check the site for any privacy policies, and contact details that could indicate legitimacy.
It’s the season of giving and scammers pray on those who are looking to make charitable donations for the holiday. Charity scams are another way scammers can take away an unsuspecting person’s money. These can come via email, text messages, phone calls, and even online advertisements. Sometimes the only goal of these fake charities is to take money via a “donation” from donors, and then other times these scams are used, like so many others, to steal personal and financial information.
The FCC recommends to always double-check these supposed charities using sites like the Better Business Bureau or Charity Watch. Sites like these keep track of charities on file and can even tell you if a charity is registered in your state.