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Scammers ramp up their schemes during the holiday season. Learn how to avoid the worst holiday scams of 2023 while shopping, traveling, and giving.
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Scammers know that the holiday season can be busy with shopping for gifts online, booking holiday travel, looking for seasonal work, or trying to donate to charities — all activities they can use to actively target you with scams.
By some estimates [*]:
“Nearly 75% of Americans experienced at least one type of holiday scam last year.”
The last thing you want to dampen your holiday cheer is to become the victim of a scam.
In this guide, we’ll cover how holiday scams typically work, the worst scams of the 2023 holiday season, and how to protect yourself into the new year.
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Holiday scams capitalize on the increase in online shopping, travel, and charitable giving during the holiday season by trying to trick you into giving up money, gift cards, or sensitive information.
According to the FBI [*]:
Americans lost over $281 million to online shopping and non-delivery scams last year alone — with many of these taking place over the holiday season.
What makes holiday scams especially dangerous is that they can take numerous different forms.
Here are some of the most common ways that scammers target you during the holidays:
If you fall for one of these holiday scams, the consequences can be dire. Scammers could steal your money, drain your bank account, or even steal your identity.
So, what holiday scams should you be looking out for this year?
Holiday scams can happen at any time — from Black Friday and Cyber Monday to the weeks and months leading up to the end of the year.
Here are 15 common scams to watch out for this holiday season:
Scammers take advantage of your generosity during the holiday season and create fake charities, GoFundMe campaigns, and other charitable activities. These charity scams can be incredibly hard to spot — until you’ve lost money or given up sensitive information.
Warning signs of a holiday charity scam:
The bottom line: Research charities before you donate. You can check that a charity is legit by using the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance or Charity Navigator. For GoFundMe and similar campaigns, look into the organizer or group behind it before donating.
📚 Related: How To Identify Veteran Charity Scams →
Scammers love gift cards because they’re easy to buy and almost impossible to trace or refund. Many holiday scams revolve around buying and selling fraudulent gift cards or tricking you into giving up the numbers on the backs of gift cards.
For example, cybercriminals may create fake stores or Craigslist listings for discounted gift cards. But if you send them money, you’ll receive an empty gift card in return.
Warning signs of a holiday gift card scam:
The bottom line: Only use gift cards as gifts. If anyone asks you to pay fees or “protect your money” by buying gift cards, it’s a scam. Also, only use gift cards at the issuer's store. For example, redeem Google Play gift cards to purchase products on Google Play.
📚 Related: The 11 Worst Gift Card Scams You Didn't Know About (Until Now) →
With more people than ever before shopping online since the start of the pandemic, it’s important to know how to shop online safely.
Scammers create online stores with deeply discounted prices to trick you into buying from them. If you do, they’ll either steal your credit card number or force you to use payment methods that can’t be reversed (such as wire transfers, payment apps like Zelle, or gift cards).
Warning signs of a fake online store:
The bottom line: Stick to reputable online stores as much as possible at this time of year. If you still want to buy from a smaller retailer, do your research (a Google search of “[Company name] + scam” is a good start), and use a credit card for your purchase.
📚 Related: How To Shop Online Safely [14 Tips] →
Scammers use the busyness of the holiday season to send phishing emails posing as companies or agencies that you trust. For example, they may impersonate companies like Amazon or Apple to offer “giveaways” or claim to be from your bank and warning you that your account has been compromised.
But the goal is always the same: Get you to click on a suspicious link or call a phone number and give up money or sensitive information.
Scammers will send messages offering you “free gifts” — in return for your sensitive information. Source: Aura team
Warning signs of holiday phishing scams:
The bottom line: Learn the warning signs of a phishing scam. Ignore emails and texts from people you don’t know, and never click on unfamiliar links. When in doubt, log in to your account or contact the company directly to see if the message is legitimate.
📚 Related: Phishing Email Examples: 20 Emails That Don’t Look Like It →
Job scams are a growing problem year-round. But during the holiday season, scammers prey on people looking to make extra cash by posting fake job listings offering good money for little work. In almost all cases, the scammers will either steal your personal information during the “hiring process” or trick you into sending them money for “supplies and training.”
Warning signs of a seasonal job scam:
The bottom line: Research the company before giving them your personal info. Check review sites like Glassdoor to see if anyone has left comments about the company. Make sure you don’t share sensitive information until you can verify that the identity of the person and the company offering you the job are both legitimate.
It’s common for people to be waiting on packages during the holiday season. One recent scam involves fraudsters sending fake delivery notification text messages, in hopes that you’ll click on the link.
These scam texts will take you to a fake website designed to either steal your personal information, ask for your credit card number, or fool you into sending the scammers money.
Warning signs of a fake delivery notification text:
The bottom line: Track deliveries through the delivery company’s official website. Make sure to visit the site directly — do not use the link provided in a text message or email.
📚 Related: The 10 Latest Costco Scams You Didn't Know About →
This especially insidious holiday scam mainly targets senior citizens. Scammers text or email posing as a grandchild in trouble, and ask for money — usually through wire transfers or gift cards. According to the FBI, elder fraud costs victims $3 billion in losses each year [*].
Warning signs of a grandparent scam:
The bottom line: Create a secret family “passcode” to use on calls. This way, you have an easy way to ensure the person you’re speaking with is legitimate. For added peace of mind, consider a family identity theft protection plan with credit monitoring. Find the right protection for your entire family →
Holiday scammers create ads on social media sites like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok that link to fake stores or listings. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), many of these ads promote personalized items, which may seem like the perfect gift for someone who “has it all” [*].
At best, you’ll end up with a phony or counterfeit item. At worst, your money or identity could be stolen.
Warning signs of a fake social media ad:
The bottom line: Check ads and the sites they link to for signs of a scam. Don’t assume a site or store is legitimate just because you saw it on social media. Instead, always look for warning signs indicating that you’ve been taken to a fake or malicious online store.
📚 Related: 10 Amazon Gift Card Scams You Need to Avoid →
In the rush to get the season’s most sought-after gifts, many shoppers ignore the warning signs of a scam. Fraudsters often list items on platforms like Facebook Marketplace at a steep discount and then ask you to pay via payment apps such as Zelle or Cash App (that can’t be reversed).
Warning signs of a too-good-to-be-true deal:
The bottom line: Do your due diligence before purchasing. Check the store for signs of a scam and research them through the BBB, Reddit, or a Google search to see if other people have had experiences with them.
📚 Related: 14 Cash App Scams You Didn’t Know About (Until Now) →
Many people look for cheap airline tickets over the holiday season, leading scammers to target travelers with schemes ranging from bogus flight-booking websites to fraudulent flight cancellation emails and sudden price increases.
Warning signs of an airline scam:
The bottom line: Purchase airline tickets directly from the airline (or through reputable third-party sellers that offer customer service). If you receive any messages about your trip, contact the airline directly to make sure the message is legitimate.
Scammers use social media to list fake holiday giveaways or surveys that offer gifts and “free cash” in exchange for your personal information. Some fraudsters may even use bot accounts to “like” giveaways, which makes the scam look like the real deal.
Warning signs of a fake online giveaway or survey:
The bottom line: Don’t trust anyone who offers you free money or gifts — especially if you never entered the giveaway. If you’re asked to pay or provide sensitive information in exchange for a prize, it’s a scam.
📚 Related: The 10 Biggest Instagram Scams Happening Right Now →
Fraudsters use the traditional Secret Santa game to trick you into sending money and gifts to them (as well as giving up your personal information).
In these scams, you’re asked to provide your name and address, along with the contact information of a few friends. Then, you’re asked to send money or small gifts to a stranger on the list. In return, you’ll receive multiple gifts from other people who participate.
But the whole thing is a scam and any money, information, or gifts you send go straight to the scammers.
Warning signs of a fake online store:
The bottom line: Ignore and report these posts to the social media platform on which you found them.
Resist the temptation to shop over Wi-Fi when you’re out during the holiday season, as public Wi-Fi is notoriously easy to hack. The same goes for other common places where you'll find unsecured Wi-Fi networks, such as hotels and airports.
Scammers use what’s called a man-in-the-middle (MiTM) attack to intercept your data — including your credit card numbers, passwords, and personal information.
Warning signs of a dangerous Wi-Fi network:
The bottom line: Use a virtual private network (VPN) whenever you’re on public Wi-Fi. A VPN encrypts your data so that hackers can’t see or steal it.
With packages, orders, and cards coming to your home throughout the holiday season, porch piracy is on the rise. Scammers look for cards containing cash and gift cards, as well as packages that they can steal and resell.
Even worse, if scammers steal mail with your sensitive information — such as your credit card or bank statements — they could steal your identity.
Warning signs of mail theft:
The bottom line: Secure your incoming mail. Sign up for USPS Informed Delivery®, which gives you a preview of your incoming mail and packages, and allows you to control their delivery. For added security, consider investing in a secure mailbox or porch lock box.
📚 Related: What Is the Target Gift Card Scam? (How To Avoid It) →
Holiday scams don’t just happen online. Scammers take advantage of busy shopping days to steal your personal or financial information.
Shoulder surfing occurs when scammers listen in or spy on you as you enter your card details in public. Skimming devices steal your credit and debit card information when you use unsecured ATMs — such as at gas stations or outside your bank or credit union.
Warning signs of a card skimming or shoulder surfing scam:
The bottom line: Be extra cautious when using your bank cards in public places. Physically shield your card and PIN when using them, and check all ATMs for indications that they may have been tampered with. When in doubt, choose to pay inside where it’s much harder for scammers to install skimming devices.
📚 Related: Is Etsy Safe? 7 Etsy Scams You Need To Know →
If you think you’ve been the victim of a holiday shopping scam, acting fast can make a big difference. With a quick response, you can limit the damage on your accounts, increase the chances of retrieving your money, and potentially aid police in catching the perpetrator.
Here are four crucial steps:
📚 Related: What To Do if Your Identity Is Stolen →
The holidays are a time for cheer and getting together with people you love. Don’t let scammers spoil your holiday season by defrauding you or stealing your identity.
Learn to spot the warning signs of common holiday scams so that you and your family can stay safe during this time of year.
And for added protection, consider signing up for Aura.
With Aura, you get:
Editorial note: Our articles provide educational information for you to increase awareness about digital safety. Aura’s services may not provide the exact features we write about, nor may cover or protect against every type of crime, fraud, or threat discussed in our articles. Please review our Terms during enrollment or setup for more information. Remember that no one can prevent all identity theft or cybercrime.