It’s the busiest time of year for everyone. You’re probably planning meals for a treat or traveling to see loved ones, and chances are you’re starting to think about gift shopping ahead of the New Year.
Scammers know how easy it is to catch you off guard this time of year, so we’re here to warn you of the 4 most common ways you could fall victim around the holidays.
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1. Package delivery scam
With the holidays in full swing and year-end sales underway, you’ve probably started your holiday shopping and are looking forward to your packages arriving via different types of shipping services like FedEx, UPS, or USPS. So if you get a text message mentioning package delivery, you could be vulnerable.
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I was waiting for a package recently, but suddenly received this text message:
If you receive a text message mentioning package delivery, you could be easily scammed.
(Kurt Knudsen)
I almost clicked the link even though the text said the sender wasn’t in my contact list and was probably spam, because I was too focused on the fact that there might be a typo in my shipping address. But when I took a closer look, there were some red flags in the text that made me realize it was a scam.
Red flag 1: The link doesn’t take you to usps.com – it’s a bogus link that scammers hope you won’t notice. Note that it is uspsts.top… not usps.com. It’s a common scam called “phishing,” which I’ve written about elsewhere, in which scammers use domains that look close to the real website. Next, the text says “Please,” which is jargon you probably won’t see on a letter from the USPS. Scammers often make typos or grammatical errors in their communications, so be sure to double check.
Red flag 2: Scammers are sending emails, text messages, and even the occasional phone call about package delivery issues. It could be something like this text message I got, with a link where they end up asking for information, or you could be asked to pay for “shipping” to get your package.
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How to Avoid Package Delivery Scams
If you’re waiting for a package and wondering if you received the real one, the best way to check is to look at the original confirmation you received about the shipment. You will most likely receive an email about your package, if you go to that email for your order number, you should be able to look up the status of your order directly on any website.
2. Charity scams
Sadly, charity scams aren’t new, but they’re more common around the holiday season, as scammers want you to feel more generous this time of year.
Sometimes, scammers may fake the name of an organization to get you to donate, or they may contact you via phone/email/text pretending to be someone working for a legitimate charity. Social media has also become a popular place for charities to market themselves to attract more eyeballs in hopes of getting donations, so scammers may try to impersonate a charity.
These scams will try to turn your emotions on this season, so be sure to double-check where you donate to avoid falling for it.
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How to Avoid Charity Scams
Never immediately hand over money to anyone who approaches you or reaches out on behalf of any organization without doing independent research. Either google it or check with the family to see if it’s real and if so you should be able to donate on the official website or official address. You can always mention this to anyone asking you to donate somewhere – don’t fall into the pressure of donating on the spot.
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Also, always double-check your organization’s name. Sometimes (especially online) scammers will change the name of a known organization slightly to entice you to donate.
3. Social Media Gift Exchange Scams
The Better Business Bureau warns of gift exchange scams and a new twist in the recent holiday season. This is the online version of the popular “Secret Santa” gift exchange. However, the BBB says these social media-driven gift exchanges are effectively pyramid schemes, and if you take part, you’re likely to be disappointed.
Be careful to avoid gift exchange scams originating from social media.
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Over the past few years, there have been various gift exchanges where you are asked to choose someone at random and send them a gift in return. Another asks you to exchange a few bottles of wine with someone, and while it seems fun and easy, you don’t know who the recipient is.
How to Avoid Social Media Gift Exchange Scams
Giving holiday gifts to strangers in exchange for multiple gifts yourself sounds nice, but you’re never going to get many (if any) presents. Don’t exchange gifts with people you don’t know, or you won’t be able to guarantee that the sender isn’t a scammer.
4. Gift card scams
Gift card scams are another popular method that has grown in popularity recently, but it’s especially important to be aware of the possibility that you might be buying gift cards for friends or family during the holidays.
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Scammers often steal gift cards and use the information before disguising them. There are a number of ways they can use gift cards to scam you, so if you can send one online (so you can be sure you’re buying from a legitimate, official website), that’s a much safer bet.
How to Avoid Gift Card Scams
If you’re giving gift cards to anyone and buying them in person, be sure to check that the package hasn’t been tampered with. Double check that there is nothing suspicious on the packaging, as scammers will try to make it look like the package is sealed, but they’ve used the gift card, so you’re really buying a useless piece of plastic.
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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist with a love for technology, devices and gadgets who contributes to Fox News and FOX Business on “FOX & Friends” mornings that make life easier Better. Have a technical question?Get Kurt’s CyberGuy newsletter, share your voice, story ideas or leave a comment on CyberGuy.com
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