Top Tips to Avoid Holiday Scams: Stay Safe While Shopping Online

Planning for the holidays can be time-consuming, whether you’re shopping for gifts, getting ready to host, or prepping to travel. You might forget about monitoring your accounts or rush through an online purchase without thinking twice. Fraudsters take advantage of this and use several different techniques to implement their scams on unknowing individuals. Let’s go over some of the scams to watch out this season, as well as some tips on how you can prevent fraud affecting your finances:

Social Media Scams: Fraudsters will set up fake online stores and use social media to advertise the fake websites. An unknowing consumer may attempt to purchase something from the fake site and mistakenly provide his or her account information to the fraudster, without ever obtaining any goods or services.

Shipment Update Scams: Fraudsters send a fake text or email notifying you of a delivery failure or asking you to update shipping information. The email or text may look like it is coming from the original sender, or even the US Postal Service, but it may contain a link with malware.

Fake Charities: People love giving back during the holiday season and unfortunately scammers know this. Like social media scams, charity scams often try to replicate a charity website convincing you to donate money, which goes right to the criminal.

Airline Ticket Scams: Fraudsters know that travel needs increase around the holidays. To take advantage of that, the scammers will send emails or make fake advertisements about cheap airline tickets. Don’t be fooled by the too-good-to-be-true prices.

Fraud Prevention Tips

• Sign up for alerts and notifications through your online banking portal to monitor your account for unauthorized transactions.
• Don’t provide your digital banking credentials to anyone- no legitimate company will ask you for your login or password.
• Use well-known websites for online purchases.
• Don’t click on advertisements through social media or emails. Go to the website directly.
• Avoid entering card information on web pages. Instead, use your stored payment information, when possible, like PayPal.
• Pay attention to emails, links, and websites. Think before you click!
• Ensure home computers, laptops, and mobile devices are protected with antivirus, anti-spyware, and a firewall.
• Watch out for prices that are too good to be true.
• Promptly report any suspicious activity or unauthorized transactions to your financial institution to ensure your financial information is protected.

Staying vigilant and informed is key to avoiding scams during the busy holiday season. While you’re shopping online, or even in a store, always use a secure payment method and be cautious with your personal information. By following some of the tips listed above and practicing cybersecurity awareness, you can protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud while still enjoying the holiday season.