Kick These 6 Holiday Scams Cold Turkey
Preserve your festive spirit by avoiding becoming a victim of a holiday scam.
Whether shopping for friends and family or snagging a screaming deal for yourself, your credit cards get a workout during the holidays. And cybercriminals want a piece of the action. Here are 6 holiday scams to watch out for.
Holiday scam #1: Fake shipping updates and order confirmations
Fake shipping notifications increase during the holidays. With so many online orders being shipped, people are more susceptible to clicking a link with order confirmations, shipping status updates or failed deliveries.
Even if the message looks valid, go directly to the site to check the shipping status. Get help by using the contact information on the website and keep track of your orders so you know what emails to expect.
Holiday scam #2: Nondelivery scams
According to the FBI, nondelivery scams are a prevalent holiday humbug. The customer buys goods or services found online — perhaps from a social media advertisement — which are never received. Sharpen up your online shopping skills to help protect your purchase.
Holiday scam #3: Holiday electronic cards
Fake e-cards containing malicious files are also a popular lure. Although festive e-cards appear innocent, never click a link from an unknown source.
Holiday scam #4: Charity phishing scams
The most common holiday con is executed by phishers impersonating charities to ask for donations using email, text and social media. You can avoid this by supporting causes that are close to your heart and donating directly through the charity's website.
Holiday scam #5: Unsolicited offers and deals
Inboxes and social media feeds overflow with messages about amazing deals and promotions. Attackers target employees with end-of-year giveaways and contests. Don't click on email offers or pop-up ads. Instead, verify that the offer is legitimate by going to the retailer's website to shop.
Holiday scam #6: Holiday travel scams
Travel is at pre-pandemic levels and cybercriminals have taken note. Scammers spoof booking sites or send phony email offers with holiday travel deals that look, and are, too good to be true. Brush up on your travel cyber safety before you go.
Quick Tips
- Bookmark shopping sites. Know who you are buying from. Use trusted shopping sites to reduce the chance of landing on a malicious site.
- Check reviews. When purchasing from a company for the first time, research reviews.
- Double-check that domain name. Scammers modify domains to fool their targets. For example, if the correct domain was www.example.com, the phishers may register “examp1e.com" or “example.co."
- Always verify. Confirm the email is legitimate by contacting the sender through a trusted method before engaging.
- Don't click ads, especially on social media. Attackers take advantage of the multitude of Cyber Monday/Black Friday ads by creating fake ads and sites disguised as trusted brands. Learn more about social media shopping scams.
- If you get scammed report it. File reports with the Federal Trade Commission, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center or local field office, and the online payment service used for the financial transaction.
Preserve your festive spirit by avoiding becoming a victim of a holiday scam. Additional resources are available in the Zions Bank Online Security Center or by visiting with an experienced banker at a Zions Bank branch near you.