REGION – It’s November, and lest you forget, Christmas is less than eight weeks away. Celebrating Hanukah? Less than four weeks to go. For con artists, it’s time for Seasons Cheatings, so here are a few of the ways criminals work for your money.
Previously, I wrote about the numerous shopping scams, but here are two more things to consider: substitute products and identity theft.
A number of fraudulent websites offer brand-name items at deep discounts or advertise included gift cards as incentives. Shoppers find that the products are counterfeit or “knock off” items and the gift cards are invalid. Some websites merely hope to obtain data that can be used for identity theft including names, addresses, and credit card information.
Unveiling these scams can be as simple as calling the Better Business Bureau, visiting their website, or conducting a web search using the business name with the word “rating” attached.
Social media is another potential danger for shoppers. Criminals post items for sale or attempt to lure you into fraudulent websites by asking you to complete surveys. Why? Financial and identity theft.
Gift cards are popular presents and gift card scams are easy pickings for scammers. One con artist trick is to copy the card numbers and pins on cards by scraping the screening layer. An unsuspecting buyer gives the card as a gift only to find out that the value of the card is $0. Your best protection is to examine the back of the card for any tampering such as revealed numbers or scratch marks. Give that card to a store employee and purchase one that is “clean.”
Another criminal favorite this season is package theft. Increased online shopping means increased business for companies like FedEx, Amazon, and UPS. Deliveries are often made when people are working or at school. Criminals observe delivery trucks and steal packages that are unattended.
Protect your packages by having them held until a convenient time for delivery or arrange to pick them up elsewhere.
Holiday scammers count on victims being distracted and emotional. A few simple precautions can ensure happy holidays.
Have questions or comments? Contact me at egreenblott@aarp.org.
Elliott Greenblott is a retired educator and the Vermont coordinator of the AARP Fraud Watch Network.