Highlights

• Fraudsters use everyday holiday activities to trick you into giving away your personal information or parting with your hard-earned cash.
• Be on the lookout for fake shipping and delivery notices, as well as fake retailers and charities.
• Everyone loves to get a free gift, but carefully consider the source before clicking a link. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

During the holiday season, fraudsters take advantage of all that shopping to pull some sneaky tricks. They use everyday activities like deliveries and gift-giving to trick you into giving them your personal info, downloading harmful software that can provide access to your personal information, or spending money on items you never get in an effort to steal your identity.

Common Holiday Scams Include

Fake Shipping Notices

Fraudsters send out shipping notification texts or emails that resemble legitimate companies. These messages ask you to click on a link that then either downloads harmful software  onto your device or asks for your personal and banking information.

How to protect yourself: If you are expecting a shipment, login directly to the shipping companies website. Do not click on the link in the message. You can also call the shipper using a phone number you have verified from another source, like an internet search. 

Fake Delivery Notices

Fraudsters can also leave a fake “missed delivery” notification on your door with a phone number to call. When you call, fraudsters will attempt to get your personal and banking information.

How to protect yourself: Check the notice for spelling or grammar mistakes that could indicate it’s a fake. If you know you had an order scheduled for delivery, or if the notice looks legitimate, visit the company’s verified website to find the official customer service number to confirm. 

Secret Santa Scam

You may have noticed gift exchange posts on your social media feeds. They seem like a fun activity where you only have to send one gift and receive multiples in return. Unfortunately, this exchange collects some of your personal information and can also hide a pyramid scheme where only those on the top profit. 

How to protect yourself: Just say no! If something appears to be too good to be true, it probably is.

Gift Card Scams

A common gift card scam involves receiving a phony or phishing email or text that appears to be from someone you know, such as an executive at your company, and asks you to purchase multiple gift cards for a work-related function. Or perhaps it’s a personal request allegedly from a relative or friend who claims to need some help with ordering gift cards.

Another common scam involves phishing emails or pop-up ads to offer free gift cards. When you select the free gift card link, you can be exposed to malware or asked for personal information.

How to protect yourself: Don’t click on links from unknown senders. If the message is from someone you know, reach out to them directly by phone to confirm the request. Remember, no legitimate business or organization will request gift cards as a form of payment. 

Fake Retailers

Some fraudsters set up fake websites to sell products during the holiday season, but after paying for the product, you never receive what you paid for. 

How to protect yourself: Thoroughly research a website before buying from it, including searching for online reviews and warnings. Also check for red flags on the website, like spelling and grammatical errors. 

Social Media Scams

Similar to fake retailers, fraudsters use social media to advertise merchandise or holiday deals to get you to click a link and buy a gift. However, you never receive what you paid for, or you receive counterfeit items instead.

You might also see promotions and contests on social media sites offering gift cards or vouchers in exchange for simply completing an online survey. Unfortunately, the survey usually isn’t legitimate. It’s only a means of capturing your personal information to commit identity fraud or other types of cybercrime.

You might also be offered a prize for just liking or sharing a social media post. But doing either could infect your device with malware.

How to protect yourself: Be extra cautious during the holidays on social media, especially with enticing offers that seem unusually generous.

Fake Charities

During the holiday season, fraudsters prey on your generosity with emails or social media posts that lead you to a website for a fake charity and make an emotional appeal for donations. The fake charity requests payment through methods that make it difficult to recover your money, such as a wire transfer or a prepaid credit card. 

How to protect yourself: Refuse high pressure requests for donations, ask for written information about the charity, and do your own research. Remember to always ask for the charitable tax number and confirm their registration with the Canada Revenue Agency online or by phone at 1-800-267-2384.

This season be on the look out for these common holiday scams to help protect your identity and personal information.