HOLIDAY SCAMS

With the holiday season in full swing it is important to protect yourself from these common holiday scams. While many of these scams are used throughout the year, they are often given a new twist for the holidays. Bait-and-Switch – Scammers frequently use cheap tablets, smart phones, MP3 players, jewelry and gift cards as part of bait-and-switch scams. They may approach you in a mall, on the street or online offering a deal that is too good to be true. They may even allow you to check out the item, but rest assured, after the money is exchanged you will not get the item you were expecting. Only purchase big-ticket items from respected retailers and avoid paying for items with cash, money orders or wire transfers. Hard Luck Stories – Scammers often take advantage of the holiday spirit of giving. They may send an email requesting assistance or approach you in public. Scammers will often have an elaborate hard luck story and sometimes even use children to elicit sympathy. Some scammers may pose as stranded holiday travelers in need of assistance to get home for the holidays. Be wary of these scams and never give your address, bank information or large amounts of cash to strangers. Charity Scams – Fake charity scams also take advantage of the spirit of giving. Beware of scam charity emails. Research a charity before making a donation to make sure they are legitimate. If making an online payment, check the website address in the browser to make sure you are on the correct site and not a duplicate scam site. You should never make large donations in cash and always ask for a receipt. Gift Card Swap – The rise in popularity of gift cards has led to a new type of scam. Scammers will use high tech scanners to read the numbers off of the gift cards sold in the aisles of major retailers. They will then return the cards to the store shelf and monitor them to see when they are activated. Once activated, they will use the card numbers to spend the funds before the intended recipient has a chance to use the card. Whenever possible purchase your card from behind the counter of a retailer. Email Greetings – Holiday emails can sometimes be a Trojan horse for hackers. Do not open attachments from senders you do not know and be wary of strangely worded emails and subject lines. Make sure your computer’s antivirus software is up to date and use it to scan anything suspicious. Article courtesy of Legal Sheild Please visit our website at www.fowlkesinsurancesrvc.com