The holiday season usually means fun with friends and family, goodwill and giving. Unfortunately, it’s also a prime time for cybercriminals to perpetrate fraud.
About 89 percent of U.S. consumers have experienced or been targeted by at least one form of fraud that can be tied to the holidays, including requests from (often fake) charities, online shopping scams and fraudulent communications about shipping problems, according to a 2024 AARP Fraud Watch Network report, “Fraud Persists in the Season of Giving.”
“Holidays are a busy time for all of us with the hustle and bustle of parties and shopping, and scammers know this,” says Amy Nofziger, director of victim support for the AARP Fraud Watch Network™. “They take advantage of our hectic lives to try and target us when we are distracted.”
Common holiday scams
Card declined scams. Melanie McGovern, spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau (BBB), says the agency is seeing a relatively new scam: You pay for a purchase online and receive a message stating that your card has been declined. “The transaction did go through, but they’re trying to get more information out of you,” says McGovern. Entering another card into the system means that you’ll be charged on both cards.
Charity scams. Sham charities exploit Americans’ goodwill during the giving season using fake websites and other tactics.
Online shopping scams. Criminals use fake posts and social media campaigns sometimes impersonate major brands or tout products they never intend to ship. “We have seen an increase in consumers buying from social media without doing their research. Most social media ads are not vetted,” warns Nofziger. “Be careful when you see an item offered at below market price. If you do click on an ad, make sure it directs you to the page you want to be on.”
Gift card scams. “Gift card draining is still very popular,” says Nofziger. This is when criminals steal gift cards in bulk from the racks, collect the information from the card, and return it to the in-store rack for unsuspecting buyers. “Once you load money on there, the criminal will drain the money off, even sometimes before you leave the store.” It’s safest to buy cards that are kept behind the counter, or directly from the retailer’s site.
Delivery scams. As holiday packages crisscross the country, scammers send out phishing emails and texts that appear to be from UPS, FedEx, or the U.S. Postal Service, notifying recipients about incoming or missed deliveries. Links lead to fake sign-in pages that request personal information, or to sites that may be infected with malware.
Travel scams. Some criminals send scam emails and texts offering deals such as free flights to get you to share credit card information or click on links that download malware. Also be wary of the many spoofed websites pretending to be legitimate hotels, airlines and other travel-related businesses.
How to protect yourself from scams this holiday season
“Anytime and anywhere there is money, there will be a criminal,” says Nofziger. Be wary of anyone who asks for money or personal information. Before handing it over, “Take a breath and talk to a friend, trusted adviser or call us on the (Fraud Watch Network) Helpline. We can always help you spot the red flags.”
Go to websites you’ve verified. Rather than clicking on a link from an email or text to a hot deal, go to your web browser and type in the address of the company purportedly offering said great deal.
Pay by credit card. This way you can dispute charges and limit the damage if the transaction was fraudulent.
Buy gift cards from behind the counter, “where more eyes on are on it, save the receipt that shows the time and amount of money loaded,” says Nofziger. “Better yet, consider sending an e-gift card that has less possibility of being tampered with by criminals.” Be sure to purchase e-gift cards from the retailer’s site, not from a third-party seller.
Research requests for donations. Charity Watch, Charity Navigator and GuideStar provide a bevy of resources on charitable organizations, including ratings, reviews and financial information.
How to report scams
If you’ve lost money or you have information about the scammer, report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Not every complaint leads to enforcement action, but the information can help officials to spot trends and sometimes identify the criminals.
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