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12 Scams of the Holidays: How to Stay Safe This Season
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The holidays bring joy, generosity, and celebration, but they also attract scammers looking to take advantage of the season. AARP Oklahoma unwraps “12 Scams of the Holidays” to help you protect yourself and your loved ones. From fake delivery notices to AI-powered celebrity impostors, here’s what you need to know.
1. Package Delivery Scams
You get a text, email, or call claiming there’s a problem with your delivery. The message urges you to click a link or provide personal information to reschedule or confirm your package. Clicking that link can install malware or steal your identity.
What you should do:
- Ignore unsolicited messages about deliveries.
- Track packages only through the retailer’s official website or shipping provider’s app.
- Never share personal or financial info in response to a text or email.
2. Utility Scams
A criminal pretends to be from your utility company and threatens to cut off service unless you pay immediately. They’ll demand credit card details or tell you to buy gift cards to settle a fake debt. They want you to act quickly without thinking.
What you should do:
- Ask for the employee’s ID number.
- Request details about your billing history.
- Hang up if they get aggressive.
3. Fake Charity Scams
This time of year, legitimate charities make a big push for year-end donations. Scammers know this and take advantage by creating fake charities to line their own pockets. You might get a call, email, or social media message asking for donations to what sounds like a good cause. But the charity is fake, and your money never reaches those in need.
How to protect yourself:
- Research charities at give.org, CharityNavigator.org, or CharityWatch.org.
- Avoid donating through links in unsolicited messages; go directly to the charity’s official site.
4. Amazon Impostor Scams
You might receive a message about renewing your Amazon membership or resolving a suspicious charge. Because many people don’t know exactly when their membership expires, these messages seem legitimate. Scammers create convincing websites and ask you to share payment or personal information – putting your identity and money at risk.
What you should do:
- Don’t click links or call numbers in unsolicited messages.
- Go directly to Amazon’s official site or verified customer service lines.
- Avoid searching for phone numbers on Google; fraudsters plant fake ones.
5. Gift Card Scams
Gift cards are a popular holiday gift, but they’re also a favorite tool for scammers. Criminals grab gift cards off store racks, record the numbers on the back, and return them. Once you load money onto the card, they drain the balance before you can use it. Scammers also demand gift cards as payment in other schemes. If anyone asks you to pay with a pre-paid gift card, that’s a red flag.
How to protect yourself:
- Buy gift cards directly from the cashier.
- Never pay anyone with a gift card; cut off communication immediately.
6. Pet Scams
Who doesn’t want to give the perfect holiday gift of a pet? But scammers prey on that desire. Fraudsters copy pet photos from legitimate websites and create fake listings. They tug at your heartstrings, convincing you to pay for a pet that doesn’t exist.
What you should do:
- Shop locally for pets.
- Meet the breeder in person or tour their facility.
- Avoid sellers who won’t let you pick up the pet in person.
7. Romance Scams
Romance scams are evolving. Criminals now use them to lure victims into elaborate cryptocurrency investment schemes. It often starts with an innocent text message that turns into a trusted online relationship. Eventually, the scammer offers “investment advice” in crypto, leading to devastating losses.
How to protect yourself:
- Don’t respond to random texts; block the number.
- If someone you only know online talks about making money in crypto, consider that a huge red flag.
8. Porch Pirates
Porch pirates are bold criminals who steal packages right off your doorstep, often in broad daylight. With more people shopping online, this crime is on the rise.
What you should do:
- Ask the shipper to hold packages at a nearby location.
- Request delivery to a secure spot.
- Use UPS or Amazon drop boxes.
9. Bank Impostor Scams
Scammers pose as fraud investigators from your bank. They start with a text about suspicious activity, then follow up with a call claiming your account is compromised. Criminals urge you to move your money to “protect” it. They sound convincing because they use personal details, often stolen in data breaches or purchased from hackers.
What you should do:
- If you get a text followed by a call, assume it’s a scam.
- Contact your bank using a trusted number from a statement or your account portal.
- Never move money at someone else’s discretion.
10. Grandparent Scams
A caller claims to be your grandchild or an authority figure, saying your loved one is in trouble and needs money fast. Fear drives quick decisions, and scammers count on that.
How to protect yourself:
- Hang up immediately.
- Call your grandchild or another family member to confirm the situation before taking action.
11. Weight Loss Scams
Fraudsters promote bogus diet products and programs, often claiming you can eat as much as you want and still lose weight. Many lure you with “free trials” that hide automatic charges in the fine print.
What you should do:
- Be skeptical of programs promising effortless weight loss.
- Read all terms before signing up for a trial.
- Avoid offers that sound too good to be true.
12. AI Celebrity Impostor Scams
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made celebrity impostor scams more convincing than ever. Criminals use deep-fake technology to create videos that look and sound like your favorite celebrity asking you to take an action, like sending money or sharing personal information. But it’s all computer-generated and completely fake.
How to protect yourself:
- Be skeptical of offers to connect personally with celebrities.
- Avoid clicking links or sending money based on social media posts.
- Remember: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Don’t let scammers steal your holiday cheer like the Grinch. Your best defense against scams is knowledge. Visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network for free resources to help safeguard yourself from fraud all year long. Share these “12 Scams of the Holidays” tips with friends and family to keep everyone safe and make this season merry, bright, and scam-free.
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