How to Avoid Holiday Scams

Whether shopping for friends and family to snagging a great deal for yourself, your credit card it put to good use during the holidays. Cybercriminals want a piece of the action.

Fake Shipping Update 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.

Nondelivery Scams

According to the FBI, nondelivery scams are a prevalent during the holidays. 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 protect your purchase.

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.

Charity Phishing Scams

Sadly, the most common holiday scam is executed by phishers impersonating charities to ask for donations using email, text and social media. You can avoid this by donating directly through a charity's website.

Unsolicited Offers and Deals

Inboxes and social media feeds overflow with messages about amazing deals and promotions. Attackers target you 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 Travel Scams

Travel has increased and cybercriminals have taken note. Scammers spoof booking sites or send fake 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 holiday spirit by avoiding becoming a victim of a holiday scam!