The holiday season can be a prime time for scammers, making fraud protection timely and important.
Celebrations with loved ones and beloved traditions typically inspire feelings of goodwill during the holiday season. While people tend to be more open to giving to others this time of year, fraudsters are quick to take advantage of their generosity — which means fraud protection should be top of mind.
The holidays are also a time when there is typically an uptick in reports of mail theft, credit card fraud, and donation requests from fake charities. According to the 2023 AARP survey, 80% of U.S. consumers experienced or were targeted by at least one form of fraud. Older adults are at particularly high risk — AARP reports that 78% of adults age 65 and older were victims of holiday-related scams.*
Here’s a look at the types of scams to be aware of during the holiday season and tips to help protect yourself.
Charity scams
The scenario: You receive a phone call from a nonprofit group trying to collect money to buy presents for kids in low-income families, so you share your credit card or banking information. Or you see a post online about a tragedy that has befallen a “local family,” and you decide to donate to the campaign online to help.
How to help protect yourself: Fraudsters take advantage of people’s willingness to help strangers in need during the holiday season by creating fake charity campaigns designed to tug at the heartstrings. Before giving any money, research the fundraising campaign or charity on the Better Business Bureau site. Phishing scams often use “look-alike” names or web addresses to dupe you into thinking you’re giving to a trusted group, so double check before clicking on any links.
Online shopping scams
The scenario: While shopping online for holiday gifts, you find a deal on the gift for your mom. It’s for sale at a much lower price with limited availability than on other sites you’ve checked, so you click “buy now.” Then you spot something your dad would love while browsing social media marketplaces. The seller only accepts payment via a payment app, so you log into your account and send the money. In these scenarios, the gift never arrives, and when you message the seller, they don’t respond.
How to help protect yourself: Be wary of items marketed on social media platforms and limited-time deals, as fraudsters often create a false sense of urgency to get you to make a purchase. Research the seller’s reviews, their product, and their company before making a purchase. If you buy directly from a seller and pay with cash or a payment app, you may not have the same protections you’d get if you were buying from a retailer or using a credit card. Using a credit card can be a smart choice because you can dispute the charge, and credit card companies usually offer purchasing protection.
Gift card scams
The scenario: You receive an urgent call, email, or text from the government or utilities provider for an unpaid bill and they request that you make payment by sending a gift card.
Some scammers access the cards in stores and gather information from them before replacing the now-tampered-with cards for people to purchase and load with money — money that the scammer could steal, since they have the codes to redeem the card.
How to help protect yourself: If you get a message from a company asking you to send payment via gift cards, verify the source using another method (don’t respond to the text or email) by contacting the company directly. Gift cards or prepaid credit cards should never be used for payments — such requests are clear signs of a scam.
If you’re purchasing a gift card, make sure the card is sealed and the protective tape covering the PIN is intact. Keep your receipt and report any fraud to the store immediately; some stores might give your money back.
Delivery notification scams
The scenario: You’ve purchased presents online or shipped gifts to friends and loved ones. Later, you get an email or text message from the shipping company saying there has been an issue with the package and to click a link to get an update or to pay a delivery fee.
How to help protect yourself: These texts or emails are phishing attempts to try to get you to share personal information or to download malware. Do not respond to texts or emails from people and companies you don’t know, and do not click on unfamiliar links. Be suspicious of messages with misspellings, bad grammar, or formatting issues, and check the URL or the email sender by hovering your cursor over the link or the sender’s name. When in doubt, log in to your account or contact the company directly to see if the message is legitimate.
Holiday travel and airfare scams
The scenario: You’re planning to take the family to visit relatives for the holidays, and you’re trying to save on travel expenses. You find a surprisingly inexpensive flight through an online travel agency that you’re not familiar with, and you book your tickets. You receive an email or phone call asking you to pay extra for the flight, or you’re told the flight has been canceled and you’ll have to rebook on a pricier flight.
How to help protect yourself: Be cautious of airline tickets or hotel rooms at a massive discount. If you receive a message that requests more money for the fare, contact the airline or hotel directly. It’s safest to book flights or lodging directly with airlines and hotels or through reputable third-party sellers that offer easy-to-contact customer service.
Learn more about common scams and steps you can take to help avoid them at our Security Center.
*Source: “2023 Holiday Shopping Scams and Fraud Survey,” AARP, December 2023
