Scammers love the holidays. It’s a time of the year that everyone’s focus is on joyous festivities and not on criminality. Shopping today is quite different than it was decades ago. Today, with the invention of the internet and quick and fast door-to-door delivery, shopping is only a finger and mouse away. But with innovation comes danger, shopping on the internet is a very dangerous endeavor.
It is said that there is no stronger influence that the influence of habit. Holiday scam avoidance begins and ends with avoiding performing tasks that can put you in harms way. Stopping holiday scammers in their tracks is possible, but only if we refrain from using dangerous short cuts when we are online and/or at brick-and-mortar stores.
Seasonal scam periods include:
Valentines’ day
Memorial Day
Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter Sales days
Back to school days
Labor Day
Halloween
Thanksgiving
HIGH HOLIDAY SCAM SEASON BEGINS ON BLACK FRIDAY AND RUNS THROUGH MID TO LATE JANUARY TO ACCOMMODATE PARCEL RETURNS!
Holiday Scam Types
Fake seasonal job scams
Fake Santa scams
Family disaster scams
Shoulder surfing scams – a person looking over your shoulder whilst at an ATM
Bogus QR codes – inspect the QR code for possible vandalism
Fraudulent charity scams
Tech-Support scams
Fake delivery scams
10 Holiday Scam Avoidance Tips
Always checkout all retailers carefully prior to finalizing a sale – the better Business Bureau is a good place to start.
Always save all promotion literature associated with the sale – it may be needed later to verify the transaction.
Always remember: if a deal seems too good to be true- it most likely a fraudulent pitch.
Always sign on as a guest whilst shopping online.
Always refrain from automatically saving transaction data (payment info, passwords, addresses, etc.) for easy future use.
Always verify website authenticity (http”s” and/or a closed lock symbol)
Always refrain from shopping on public WIFI.
Always use secure payment methods (credit cards, debit cards, check). It’s important to note that credit cards are preferred over debit cards since they offer better financial protection.
Always read all reviews and check out the reputation of the retailer.
Always carefully read all contract information before signing it. Always make sure that there are no blank spaces in the contract – if there are blank spaces, draw a line through the space and initial it
It’s important to remember that fraudsters and crooks like to take advantage of both dire times and festive times to play their deadly trade
Scam prevention tips to ponder include:
Always check your credit reports for discrepancies
Always keep track of incoming monthly invoices
Always manage your WIFI settings
Never trust phone numbers and/or e-mail address included in incoming e-mails. Always call the trusted contact information that is included in your monthly invoices or on the rear section of your credit instruments
Always keep electronics equipment updated
Always construct strong non-descript passwords. A strong password includes upper- and lower-case letters, numbers and symbols
Refrain from unsubscribing from incoming e-mails
Always secure chipped credit cards in RFID protected carriers
Always enroll in 2-step authentication
Always purchase proactive credit monitoring services
Always be suspicious of lost parcel queriers – do your homework
Sign on to the U.S. Postal Service’s “INFORMED DELIVERY SERVICE” (The postal service will advise you in advance of incoming package deliveries)
Always remove credit card receipts from vending machinery
Always follow your instincts
Don’t be too quick to click, click, click.
Conclusion
Complacency is not contagious, but ignoring it is. Taking dangerous short cuts like storing passwords and failing to manage your WIFI is exactly what scammers depend on to ply their deadly trade. The secret to staying scam-free during the holiday season is not an easy task, but attainable. By simply following some of the dos and don’ts listed herein can measurably reduce your chances of being trapped in the scammer’s deadly web!
Anthony J. Luizzo, PhD, CFE
Investigative Sleuth / Lecturer
Seniors Vs Crime Project: A Special Program of the Florida Attorney General
Volusia County Office – 407 537-9509 / 800 203-3099
