This year’s holiday shopping season has already gotten off to a big start with online Black Friday sales up $1.2 billion over last year for a total of $7.4 billion spent only online that day.
With the flurry of the Christmas season in full swing, scammers are unfortunately doing their best to steal some of those shopping dollars from you.
They take advantage of the fact that Americans are spending more of their holiday gift budget online rather than in retail stores, making it easier for them to perpetrate all types of different ploys. Thanks to the ease of buying online, we can now buy everything from home theater setups to puppies at the click of a button.
43% of people that had their identity stolen say it happened while doing holiday shopping online.
Christmas 2019 brings multiple online threats to watch out for as you click through websites looking for great deals. Every year, a list of common Christmas scams comes out making its way around consumer watchdog sites. So, we’ve got the biggest scams to watch out for below, along with tips on how to protect yourself, your family, and your employees or coworkers from becoming a victim.
Scams to Be on the Lookout for Christmas 2019
There’s no lack of creativity when it comes to scammers trying to steal your personal information for identity theft or get a hold of your credit card number.
These are the top holiday scams to be aware of this year.
Package Delivery Scams
One of the most exciting things about online shopping is seeing that package arrive at your front door. But there are two scams you need to watch out for that take advantage of the package delivery aspect of online shopping.
- Fake phishing emails: These emails pretend to be from a shipping company, often using their logo, with a link to click for tracking or to fix a “delivery delay” but it’s actually a link to a malicious site that may do a drive-by download of malware onto your computer.
- Fake missed delivery tag: This scam involves putting a fake missed delivery tag on your door with a phone number to call, which is designed to get you to hand over personal information to the scammer.
How to Avoid:
- When checking tracking, go to the shipper’s website directly rather than clicking a link in an email.
- Keep your package tracking number handy and check it regularly so you’ll stay informed about the status of your shipment. This proactive approach ensures you’re well-informed in case of a missed delivery. Additionally, double-check any phone numbers provided against the official website of the italian freight forwarder to confirm their legitimacy and avoid potential scams.
Social Media Gift Exchange
Thanks to sites like Reddit and Facebook, the gift exchange has gone from the office and book club to our online friends. But beware of invitations to participate in a gift exchange on social media with people you don’t know. It’s often a scam to get you to send items and also share the invitation with your friends list.
How to Avoid:
- Ignore unsolicited gift exchange invitations on social media from people you don’t know.
- Report any that look suspicious using the “report post” button.
Look-Alike Websites
Websites can be put up in a matter of hours that replicate well-known sites and are designed to trick people into giving up their personal information into a form or through a fake purchase. The link for these often comes through phishing email or social media direct messages.
How to Avoid:
- Always double check the URL of websites and go to them directly by typing the site in the address bar, rather than through a link.
Puppy Scams
Yes, even innocent puppies are used to perpetrate Christmas scams on unsuspecting people. They generally involve selling you on a photo of a puppy that the scammer has found online and taking your money and giving you nothing in return.
How to Avoid:
- Do a reverse image search on the puppy photo to see if it’s been used on multiple sites or is from a stock photo site.
Free Gift Cards
One headline that’s sure to draw clicks is for a free gift card. But often these pop-up ads or emails are just designed to get you to give the scammer your personal information that can be used for identity theft.
How to Avoid:
- Always evaluate the source of a deal before you click and don’t allow a message like “get it before it’s gone” to cause you to click recklessly.
Contest Forms
This scam involves the use of a contest email that offers something of significant value like a KitchenAid mixer or video camera. When you click over to the site, there’s a signup form for the contest, which can either end up being a form designed to steal your personal information or a form singing you up for a subscription of some type.
How to Avoid:
- Read the fine print on any contest signups for sites you know and beware of sites you’re not familiar with.
Phony Charities
The end of the year is one of the times that people open their pockets and generously give to charities but watch out for scammers taking advantage of your kind heart. They’ll often use phone or email solicitation to trick you out of money by using a sound-alike name to a real charity.
How to Avoid:
- Give through a charity’s website directly rather than through a link or unsolicited phone call. You can also check the legitimacy of a charity at Give.org.
Keep Your Personal Data Secure
Two River Computer can help you safeguard your data through a number of home IT services, such as web protection and malware removal. Make sure you’re browsing safely this Christmas!
Contact us today for a security checkup at 732-747-0020 or reach us online.
