Your Financial Success Blog

Unwrap These 6 Secrets for a Scam-Free Holiday

In the past year, a whopping 1-in-3 Americans experienced some kind of fraud, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). During the holidays, those numbers are expected to rise even further. But there are things you can do to protect yourself and those you love. We’ve put together 6 holiday-season tips to help you avoid fraud and start the new year right.  

1. Don’t Use Public Wi-Fi While Shopping
   Those networks are not secure and could give a hacker or criminal access to your personal and secure information. Instead, use your phone’s wireless provider to cruise the internet while you’re out shopping.
2. Use One (1) Credit Card for All Holiday Shopping
   Using a single credit card for all purchases and expenses makes it easier to stay within your budget and identify potential fraud. If you see a purchase that you didn’t authorize or make, call the credit card company immediately to dispute the charge and put a freeze on the account.
3. Side-eye All Emails and Ads
   Phishing emails and online ads can be deceiving. What appears to be from a legitimate company might actually be a scam that takes you to a look-alike website where criminals can trick you into sharing personal and financial information. They’ve even been known to imitate the Post Office, FedEx and other delivery services. To avoid this scam, carefully examine every email and ad before clicking on it. If the email address isn’t from the company being advertised, delete it.
4. Avoid Phony Online Retailers
   It’s easy to spot a con-artist in person, but websites are a different story. Before giving an online retailer your credit card number and personal information, conduct some research. Is the company legitimate? Is there a way to contact the company outside of email? Are there complaints against them with the Better Business Bureau?
5. Don’t Trust Every Text Message
   Criminals know that you probably have a package or two being delivered during the holidays. To exploit that, they’ve been known to send vague text messages urging you to “click here” to ensure proper delivery of your package. The only issue is that once you do, you’ll be taken to a fake website designed to fool you into sharing personal and private information. Want to skip this scam? Ignore 99% of every text message that isn’t from family or friends, or something you’ve recently initiated with a legitimate company.
6. Report Fraud Immediately
   Don’t wait. If you suspect you may have been victimized, contact us along with your local law enforcement and the FBI’s Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.