Explore member benefits near you, from local events & activities to dining and entertainment offers.

Content starts here

How to Spot Holiday Scams in Nevada

Five common scams between Thanksgiving and New Year's, and simple steps to protect your money

AARP

Published October 28, 2026

Photo of a woman opening Christmas present and talking on a video call with her loved ones

Getty Images

The holidays bring more shopping, shipping, giving, and travel, and criminals plan for all of it. Holiday scams are carefully built to look like the real thing and to catch people when they are busy. Knowing the warning signs is one of the best ways Nevadans can protect their money and their families.

Here are five scams that show up every holiday season, and what to do instead.

More Ways to Benefit

View All

Related Benefit 1
Related Benefit 2
Related Benefit 3
Related Benefit 4
Related Benefit 5

Fake Shopping Sites and Too-Good-to-Be-True Ads

Scammers create online stores and social media ads that copy well-known brands and offer prices far below what you would pay anywhere else. You place an order, and the product never arrives, or something cheap and different shows up.

Look up the seller before you click. The seller may not be the brand named in the ad. Search the company's name with words like "scam," "complaint," or "review."
Compare prices. If a deal is much lower than every other store, it is probably a scam.
Shop where you already shop. Go directly to retailer websites and apps you know and trust instead of clicking an ad.
Pay with a credit card. It gives you the most protection if something goes wrong. Only scammers insist on gift cards, wire transfers, payment apps, or cryptocurrency.

Fake Package Delivery Texts

With so many packages on the way, a text saying a delivery needs your attention can seem routine. Criminals send messages pretending to be from the U.S. Postal Service, UPS, or FedEx, with a link to a fake site built to collect your personal or payment information.

Do not click links in unexpected delivery texts. Even if you are expecting a package, go to the shipper's official website or app and enter your tracking number there.
Know how real tracking works. The Postal Service sends tracking texts only to people who signed up with a tracking number, and it does not charge for tracking.
Report it. Texts that impersonate the Postal Service can be reported to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at spam@uspis.gov.

Gift Card Scams

Gift cards are a popular present, and criminals target them in two ways.

Tampered cards. Scammers may scratch off the back of cards on store racks or remove the protective stickers to steal the card number and PIN. When money is loaded onto the card, they drain it. Check for signs of tampering before you buy, tell a cashier or manager if something looks wrong, and keep your receipt.
Payment demands. No real business or government agency will ever tell you to pay with a gift card. If someone asks you to buy gift cards and share the numbers on the back, it is a scam.
Act fast if it happened. If you gave someone gift card numbers, contact the company that issued the card right away.

Fake Charities

Fake Airline Customer Service

Flight delays and cancellations are common around the holidays, and scammers pose as airline customer service to take advantage. Fake agents may reach out on social media after you post about a travel problem, or show up in online search results with phone numbers that look official.

Go through official channels. Log in to your airline account and contact customer service through the airline's official app, website, chat, or phone number.
At the airport, talk to a person. An airline representative at the counter or gate can help you rebook.
Keep details off social media. Never share your confirmation number, personal information, or bank details in a social media message.

Pause. Reflect. Protect.

Nearly every scam relies on unexpected contact, strong emotion, and pressure to act right now. When you notice those signs, stop and verify on your own before you send money or share information. Learn more at https://www.aarp.org/states/nevada/pause-reflect-protect-fraud-prevention-resources-for-nevadans/

If You Think You Have Been Targeted

Scams are designed to work on careful people, and being targeted is not your fault. Acting quickly can help.

If money or account information may be at risk, contact your bank, credit card company, or the gift card company right away.
Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360, Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time. It is free, and you do not need to be an AARP member.
Find out where to report a scam in Nevada at https://www.aarp.org/states/nevada/how-to-report-a-scam-in-nevada/
For more holiday scam tips from AARP, visit https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/holiday/

For questions about AARP Nevada fraud prevention programs, contact aarpnv@aarp.org.

AARP Membership

Join AARP for only $15 per year with automatic renewal. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of benefits, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine.

Join