Be On The Lookout This Holiday Season

Earlier this week when purchasing a gift card for a holiday present, I was prompted to click through a screen that I have not previously encountered. It was a notice screen advising me, as a purchaser of a gift card, of the commonality of gift card scams and cautioning the purchase of the gift card if it is under suspicious circumstances. This additional notice is a good reminder that fraudsters use the holiday gift giving season to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers. While we should remain vigilant year round, be extra cautious during the holidays for common frauds that include:

Phishing scams regarding package delivers. These schemes purport to be attempting delivery of a package, however, they prompt entry of personal information or request payment for a fictitious purchase. While we may be receiving a higher number of packages than expected during the holidays, take extra care to confirm the package is expected and from a known carrier before providing any information or payment.
Non-delivery scams. These schemes are simple – a purchaser pays for goods that are never received. While this can be difficult to guard against with the ubiquity of online shopping, paying with a credit card offers consumer fraud protections. Additionally, always verify the website you’re purchasing from does not include red flags such as lack of an https protocol, or negative reviews associated with fraud.
Gift card scams. These schemes will request payment for the purchase of online goods with gift cards, where the purchase provides the gift card number and pin to the supposed seller. Once this information is transferred to the fraudster, they may use the funds of the gift card. As noted above, paying for goods online with a credit card offers an additional layer of protection.

More information on holiday scams can be found on the FBI’s website here: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/holiday-scams. Happy holidays and safe shopping!