Five Common Scams to Look Out for This Holiday Season
The holidays are a busy time for most Americans. For the last few months of the year, we are focused on what to buy for our loved ones and paying attention to store sales and online deals. Our spending habits change during the holiday season because we’re shopping more than we typically do the rest of the year. That’s why scammers try to take advantage of this opportunity by doing online scams that people may overlook because of the nature of the holidays. Here are five common holiday scams to be on the lookout for and tips on preventing them from ruining the festivities.
Five Holiday Scams You Should Know
- Holiday Phishing Emails – “The holiday season means an increase in online shopping, and with that comes the busiest time of the year for shipping and mailing services. Scammers take advantage of this situation by featuring links in texts or emails that are disguised as delivery status updates or delivery failures. Avoid quickly clicking on links and never open unexpected attachments,” says Kitrina Kanaris, Vice President, Information Security Officer.
- Gift Card Scams – One method scammers use to steal money is by asking people to buy gift cards, and then they take the gift card information and use it themselves. If someone asks you to purchase gift cards as a form of payment, don’t communicate with them any further.
- Mail Delivery Theft – Package theft becomes very prevalent during the holidays. Stay on top of when online purchases will be mailed to your residence by following the tracking number or the online store updates to your purchase.
- Public Wi-Fi – Be wary when joining public Wi-Fi networks because they’re less secure than a private password-protected network. If you use a public network, be cautious when viewing sensitive information such as bank accounts and login credentials.
- Protecting Your Card Information – Increased card use during the holidays creates more chances that your information could become compromised. We encourage you to use more secure methods for completing transactions, such as EMV chip technology, contactless payments, and digital wallets.
Enjoy a Safe Holiday Season
The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, but it also presents a prime opportunity for scammers to obtain personal information and financial data. To ensure safe shopping habits, pay attention to where you use your cards physically and online so you can enjoy the holiday season with peace of mind.