Card declined scams. This is a new scam criminals have cooked up, according to Melanie McGovern, spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You pay for a purchase online and get a message telling 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 giving season via fake websites and pushy telemarketers.
Online shopping scams. Bogus websites and social media campaigns that impersonate major brands. These fake posts and ads entice you to spend money for products you’ll never receive. “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. Often times you are directed instead to a 3rd party vendor.”
Gift card scams. “Gift card draining is still very popular,” says Nofziger. This is when criminals steal gift cards in bulk off the racks, collect the information off 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 disguised as UPS, FedEx, U.S. Postal Service notifications about incoming or missed deliveries. Links lead to phony sign-in pages asking for personal information, or to sites that may be infested with malware.
Travel scams. Some criminals send scam emails and texts offering travel promotions 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.
Here are ways to make sure your money stays in your wallet.
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 gifts 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 send an e-gift card that has less possibility of being tampered with by criminals.” And when buying that e-card, be sure to buy from the retailer’s site, not a third-party.
Research requests for donations. Charity Watch, Charity Navigator and GuideStar provide a bevy of resources on charitable organizations, including ratings, reviews and financial information. Pushy charities could be an indicator that the cause is bogus; legitimate charities will accept your donations on your own timeline.
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, and your state attorney general. Not every complaint leads to enforcement action, but the information can help officials to spot trends and sometimes identify the criminals.
reprinted from AARP.com