‘Tis the Season for Scams — Stay Alert!

As the holidays approach, cybercriminals and fraudsters ramp up their activity. Between Black Friday deals, online shopping, year-end donations, and shipping notifications, it’s easy to get caught off guard. This brief overview will help you recognize and avoid the most common financial scams during the holiday season.

Top Holiday Scams to Watch Out For

• Fake Shopping Websites & Unreal Deals
  • Criminals clone popular retailers or set up fake stores offering high-demand items at massive discounts.
  • Look for misspelled URLs, poor grammar, or limited contact info.
  • Always pay by credit card, never with gift cards, crypto, or wire transfers.
• Package Delivery & Order Phishing
  • Texts or emails claiming “Delivery failed” or “Confirm your order” are common.
  • Don’t click links — manually check your order status through the retailer’s website.
  • Legit carriers will never ask for a fee to release a package.
• Charity & GoFundMe Impostors
  • Fake charities use names that mimic real ones.
  • Always verify 501(c)(3) status through IRS.gov.
  • Be cautious of emotional appeals that pressure you to donate quickly.
• Job & Gig Scams
  • Seasonal “remote jobs” that pay too much or ask you to buy equipment up front are fake.
  • Never provide your SSN or financial account details until you’ve verified the company.
• Gift Card & Crypto Fraud
  • Scammers ask for payment in non-refundable forms.
  • Remember: No legitimate business requests payment by gift card.
• Investment & “Quick Profit” Traps
  • Fraudsters offer “holiday crypto giveaways” or investment groups promising guaranteed returns.
  • High pressure + “guaranteed profit” = scam.

If You Suspect a Scam

1. Stop payment immediately — contact your Financial Institution or card issuer.
2. Save all messages, emails, and receipts.
3. Report it to the FTC Fraud Portal (https://reportfraud.ftc.gov) and the FBI IC3 (https://www.ic3.gov).

Quick Tips for Staff

✅ Never approve vendor bank changes by email without a callback verification.

✅ Be skeptical of “urgent” or “secret” money requests.

✅ Verify domains for delivery companies, charities, and shopping sites.

✅ Always use credit cards, not debit, for online shopping.

“Scammers rely on urgency and emotion — pause, verify, and protect your wallet.”

Stay cyber-safe this holiday season.