Beware the Holiday Scammers
As the holidays roll around again, holiday scams are also on the rise. Every year, the Grinches of the world are out there trying to get you to fall for their phony deals, luring you to websites that will steal your identity and empty your accounts if possible. Every year there are new dangers out there and luckily there are people who make it their job to try to identify the new threats so that you can still shop and enjoy the holidays with at least a little peace of mind. Here are the latest scams for 2012 that have been identified and how to avoid them.
“While the rest of us are pulling the decorations out of the attic, scammers are blowing the dust off of their tried and true holiday scams,” said Michelle L. Corey, BBB president and CEO. “We can all help make these holiday scams a ghost of Christmas’ past by not falling for them anymore.” There are five scams in particular which the BBB warns about.
Too good to be true If you see an online sale that is too good to be believable chances are, it’s a scam. Especially if it is a site that you don’t recognize or one that doesn’t have the BBB approval logo, save your money. It you see the BBB logo click on it to be sure that it is real, scammers have been known to fake the logo as well. You can always call the Better Business Bureau to verify that the company is on the up and up.
Buy local
If you are looking for a hot item and the stores have sold out, you may want to use eBay or Craigslist. These can be great options but never wire money and try to deal with people who are local where you can pay for your item and receive it, in person. Again be leery if the deal is just too good and never meet with anyone alone.
Safeguard your wallet or purse
When you are preoccupied while shopping with packages and the crowds, you are vulnerable to thieves who want to steal your purse or wallet and through that, your identity. Be vigilant at all times and be careful when putting in your pin numbers. Know where your card is and be careful to put it away after every use.
Giving
Especially in 2012 when there has been so much devastation from Hurricane Sandy, scammers are out there in droves trying to part you from your hard earned money while you think you are helping victims. If you want to donate, be sure you do so through a legitimate organizations. Don’t give out your credit card number over the phone or hand over cash to people who approach you at the mall or even at your door. Only donate to individuals you are sure represent the organization you want to donate to.
Phishing
Don’t click on email links unless you are absolutely sure are from who they say they are from. At this time of year, one particular phishing scam pretends to be from a shipping company telling you that they can’t deliver your package. Before you click on that consider, how do they know your email address? Are you expecting a package? This is not the usual way to contact you from these shippers and let’s face it, they are good at delivery and chances are they could find you.
The Houston, Texaspolicedepartment offers this additional advice when it comes to Internet scams.
If you receive an e-card greeting, if you don’t know the sender or are unsure that this person would send you an e-card, don’t open the card, they can infect your computer and steal your identity. Cyber criminals have been known to use social media sites to scam users. Offers for free gift cards are the types of offers to avoid. Even if the site looks like one you recognize, it may be a copy of the original. Look at the website and be sure it has the https not just http. Also be careful when you are checking for cheaper prices on the Internet from the mall or other public places, fraudsters put out fake Wi-Fi signals that look like the one you usually use for free and then steal your information.
It is the most wonderful time of the year and you can keep it that way by being careful with your information and with your credit and debit cards. A good dose of skepticism along with your holiday cheer will help to keep you safe and allow you to enjoy the holiday season.
