Don’t Get Grinched: How To Avoid Scammers this Holiday Season

Scammers share the holiday season with buyers and retailers as their biggest and busiest time of year. It’s a bit jading to think about, with the giving spirit and hype of buying the latest and greatest gifts, scammers prey on average people the most during this time of year. How can you be protected? When it comes to deals and bargains, if it’s too good to be true—it is. Why would a business want to lose money to benefit you, a stranger? Read on to see specific ways that scammers try to manipulate you and how to counter their efforts.   

Internet Scams

If you’re shopping for gifts online, be wary of easy-to-find sites carrying hard-to-find items at discounted rates. Does the site look legitimate? Professional? Is it littered with testimonials that seem a little too perfect? If a website needs to state it’s safe, secure and real, chances are it’s not. Sites like these are deadly and all over the internet during the largest buying time of the year. These sites can bug your computer, steal your money and your identity. Be a smart shopper and do your research first, have you ever heard of the site? A simple Google search can pull of reviews and articles on the site if it has scammed others before. Don’t download any holiday e-cards from people or places you’ve never heard of, avoid holiday .gif downloads as these typically lead to computer viruses. Identity protection sites like LifeLock can help you navigate troubled internet waters during the holiday season.

Charity Scams

During the holidays people are in the giving spirit and scammers know that they can take advantage of this. Holiday scammers will go to great lengths to replicate the colors and uniforms of familiar organizations and look the part. If you feel unsure don’t give, it doesn’t make you a bad heartless person. If you really are interested in making a donation there are ways to donate by mail and online through the organizations direct website. Be wary of any telemarketer calls from any businesses.

Mail And Email

Money grams or gift cards sent out of the blue conveniently when you are beginning your holiday shopping is a red flag, don’t use it. As is true during any time of the year, be cautious of spam-looking emails that offer you “irresistible” deals and bargains.

Work-Related Scams

Seasonal jobs are popular during the holidays, in hard economic times they are even more popular. Unfortunately, scammers will take advantage of the desperation of some an trick you into working without pay. Do not agree to any job that requires payment or goes by a work-now-get-paid-later policy. A lot of these job can also cause you to fall victim to identity theft. Again, if it sounds like a job that is way too good to be true— IT IS.

Holiday Gifts

Purchase gift cards directly from stores. Scammers actually can scan the information from gift cards on display in stores and periodically check to see if the card has been purchased and activated. If it has, scammers can use it online to make purchases. Usually recipients of the abused card are defenseless as these things are difficult to trace.