Scammer’s favorite time of year is the holiday season. Whether it’s Christmas, Hannukah, Valentine’s Day, or any other holidays; if you are buyin gifts online, scammers will do everything they can to trick you.
During these high buying seasons, online shopping is the go-to way to get gifts. Online scams are increasing by the day and changing all the time. With shoppers looking for the best deal or discounts with shipping, scammers will make their move and try to convince you to them information / payment. Scammers are also turning to social media apps such as TikTok and Instagram as well. Be on the lookout for random shipping text messages and emails. Don’t click on links in these messages. The best way to avoid falling for the latest scam is to go straight to the retailer’s app or website and check shipping straight from the source.
Avoid making accounts on retailer’s website. Creating so many accounts will increase the risk of a hacker accessing your personal information. Try to check out as a guest instead. The less information out there, the better!
Don’t fall for the gift card. Scammers love gift cards because everyone wants to take advantage of “free gifts” and will provide any information to save a few dollars on an order. The Federal Trade Commission says that paying with a gift card is like paying with cash with an online scame. It is hard to track anything with gift cards.
If you can, always use a credit card when purchasing gifts because there are more protections for consumers than with a debit card. Not to mention, a debit card is directly tied to your bank account and you wouldn’t want that information getting hacked into.
For more detailed information about the holiday scams, you can read Michelle Singletary’s column in the Lancaster Newspaper, “Here’s how to protect yourself from scams”
