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Watch out for Holiday Scams

Don’t let fraud ruin your festive season


spinner image a credit card surrounded by festive holiday images with a hand reaching for it
AARP (Getty Images, 6)

The holiday season means fun with friends and family, goodwill and giving. Sadly, it's also a prime time for cybercrooks to cook up nefarious schemes.

About 80 percent of U.S. consumers have experienced or been targeted by at least one form of fraud that can be tied to the holidays, including requests from (often fake) charities, online shopping scams and fraudulent communications about shipping problems, according to a 2023 AARP Fraud Watch Network report, “Holiday Fraud: Fight Back Against Joy-Stealing Criminals.”

“Holidays are a busy time for all of us with the hustle and bustle or parties and shopping, and scammers know this,” says Amy Nofziger, director of victim support, AARP’s Fraud Watch Network. “They take advantage of our hectic lives to try and target us when we are distracted.”

Common holiday scams

Card declined scams. This is a new scam criminals have cooked up, according to Melanie McGovern, spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau (BBB). You pay for a purchase online and get a message telling your card has been declined. “The transaction did go through, but they’re trying to get more information out of you,” says McGovern. Entering another card into the system means that you’ll be charged on both cards. 

Charity scams. Sham charities exploit Americans’ goodwill during giving season via fake websites and pushy telemarketers.

Online shopping scams. Bogus websites and social media campaigns that impersonate major brands. These fake posts and ads entice you to spend money for products you’ll never receive. “We have seen an increase in consumers buying from social media without doing their research. Most social media ads are not vetted,” warns Nofziger. “Be careful when you see an item offered at below market price. If you do click on an ad, make sure it directs you to the page you want to be on. Often times you are directed instead to a 3rd party vendor.”

Video: How to Avoid Holiday Scams

Gift card scams. “Gift card draining is still very popular," says Nofziger. This is when criminals steal gift cards in bulk off the racks, collect the information off the card and return it to the in-store rack for unsuspecting buyers. “Once you load money on there, the criminal will drain the money off, even sometimes before you leave the store.” It’s safest to buy cards that are kept behind the counter, or directly from the retailer’s site.

Delivery scams. As holiday packages crisscross the country, scammers send out phishing emails and texts disguised as UPS, FedEx, U.S. Postal Service notifications about incoming or missed deliveries. Links lead to phony sign-in pages asking for personal information, or to sites that may be infested with malware.

Travel scams. Some criminals send scam emails and texts offering travel promotions such as free flights to get you to share credit card information or click on links that download malware. Also be wary of the many spoofed websites pretending to be legitimate hotels, airlines and other travel-related businesses.

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Have you seen this scam?

  • Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 or report it with the AARP Scam Tracking Map.  
  • Get Watchdog Alerts for tips on avoiding such scams.

How to protect yourself from this scam

“Anytime and anywhere the is money, there will be a criminal,” says Nofziger. Be wary of anyone who is asking for money and or personal information. Before handing it over, “Take a breath and talk to a friend, trusted advisor or call us on the (Fraud Watch Network) Helpline. We can always help you spot the red flags.”

Here are other ways to make sure your money stays in your wallet.

Go to websites you’ve verified. Rather than clicking on a link from an email or text to a hot deal, go to your web browser and type in the address of the company purportedly offering said great deal.

Pay by credit card. This way you can dispute charges and limit the damage if the transaction was fraudulent.

Buy gifts cards from behind the counter “where more eyes on are on it, save the receipt that shows the time and amount of money loaded,” says Nofziger. “Better yet, consider send an e-gift card that has less possibility of being tampered with by criminals.” And when buying that e-card, be sure to buy from the retailer's site, not a third-party.

Research requests for donations. Charity Watch, Charity Navigator and GuideStar provide a bevy of resources on charitable organizations, including ratings, reviews and financial information. Pushy charities could be an indicator that the cause is bogus; legitimate charities will accept your donations on your own timeline.

How to report scams

If you’ve lost money or you have information about the scammer, report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, and your state attorney general. Not every complaint leads to enforcement action, but the information can help officials to spot trends and sometimes identify the criminals. 

Call the free AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline, 877-908-3360, to speak with trained fraud specialists who can provide support and guidance on what to do next and how to avoid future scams. The AARP Fraud Watch Network also offers online group support sessions.

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spinner image cartoon of a woman holding a megaphone

Have you seen this scam?

  • Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 or report it with the AARP Scam Tracking Map.  
  • Get Watchdog Alerts for tips on avoiding such scams.