It’s the most wonderful time of the year – filled with laughter, cheer, and unfortunately fraudulent activity. That’s why it’s critical to remain vigilant during the holiday season. With an increase in shopping and the emotional highs of the holidays, it’s easy to fall victim to scams. Just remember, you can still simultaneously be ecstatic about the holidays and situationally aware!

We want to prepare you in case trouble knocks on your door. These are four scams you should look for as you spread cheer this holiday season:

1-Fake Charities

Scammers create fake charitable organizations during the holidays to take advantage of people’s generosity. They’ll generate look-a-like charities and build websites that closely resemble reputable organizations by using a similar URL and a variation of the charity’s name to seem authentic. At first sight, you can barely detect the differences. Still, with a closer look, you’ll notice a few telltale signs, including intentionally vague descriptions of the charity’s purpose and aggressive sales tactics asking for urgent donations. Real charities will not withhold information on how your donation will provide support and benefit others. You should also recognize that legitimate charitable organizations will never demand a donation or threaten you if you refuse to donate.

2-Gift Card Scams

Are you a gift card giver? Gift cards are also the target of scammers who reach out to you via call, text, email, or social media messages. The perpetrators assume false identities, posing as government officials, tech support for your computer or device, or family members facing an emergency. Scammers fabricate a story to persuade you to buy specific kinds of gift cards, then they ask you to share the gift card number and PIN. Like the charity scam, they’ll provoke a sense of urgency and mention consequences to pressure you to comply.

Other gift card scams may be found on online marketplaces like Facebook and Craigslist. These online sellers list gift cards at a lower price than their actual value; and interested buyers think they’re getting a good deal, but the gift card has no value at all.

Ultimately, when you purchase gift cards, ensure they haven’t been tampered with by looking for cards showing signs of damage, having ripped packaging or scratched PINs.

3-Phishing Emails & Text Scams

People often reconnect with friends and family during major holidays, which may involve using additional channels on your phone. With constant calls and texts, beware of phishing messages that appear in your inbox. Phishing emails and fraudulent texts often come from bad actors posing as companies or government agencies you may know and trust. These pretenders promise gifts in exchange for personal information or contain notifications about undeliverable packages, and typically include suspicious links to forms requesting sensitive data. A telltale sign of phishing is numerous spelling, grammar, and formatting errors, as well as the use of urgent language.

4-Deals Too Good to Be True

’Tis the season to be jolly and cash in on some amazing deals! But as you shop, look for deals too good to be true. Scammers will create online stores with great product discounts, but these fake websites steal your personal card information when you reach the checkout page. In some cases, they may request unconventional methods of payment that are difficult to reverse – like person-to-person or wire transfers. Look for poor spelling and grammar, low-quality images, and fake reviews. If you’re browsing a website containing any of these red flags, it’s likely fake and you should leave the site immediately.

Here are 10 tips to help you prevent fraud and become more situationally aware any time of year:

1-Safeguard your passwords

  • When signing into your accounts online, ensure nobody can see what you’re typing.

  • If you maintain written records of your passwords, keep them in a secure location.

  • Don’t use the same passwords for several platforms, websites, and apps.

  • Use complex passwords, at least 12 characters, and include capitalization, numbers, symbols, and phrases.

2-Check for skimming devices

  • When using an ATM or gas pump, look for attached skimming devices. Fraudsters put these in place to capture data from a card’s magnetic stripe.

  • These devices are often well disguised, so look for signs of visible damage such as chips, cracks, tool marks, drill holes or glue/tape residue.

3-Don’t shop on public Wi-Fi

  • Public Wi-Fi is unsecured – open and unencrypted, making it easier for cybercriminals to intercept data transmitted between devices.

  • Cybercriminals set up fake Wi-Fi hotspots mimicking names that seem legitimate – like a hotel or restaurant network.

4-Monitor your accounts

  • Make sure you continuously monitor your accounts to see if there are any unfamiliar and potential fraudulent charges.

  • If you see charges that aren’t yours, block your cards immediately.

5-Watch out for spam phone calls

  • These unsolicited phone calls will typically be someone saying they are from a reputable company or a family member needing help.

  • Don’t answer any phone numbers you don’t recognize. If it’s important, the caller will leave a message, giving you time to verify the number.

  • If you receive a call from a known phone number, such as Chartway’s 800 number, and the person asks for personal information, including codes, PINs, usernames, or passwords please hang up, call Chartway using the number on our website or the back of your credit/debit card, or reach out to us using Video Banking.

6-Proceed with caution regarding online advertisements

  • Many advertisements seen online are too good to be true, so research the site.

  • If the ad shows a name brand, go directly to the brand’s website to see if they offer the same deal. If not, it’s more than likely a scam.

7-Thoroughly research charities and websites

8-Buy gifts from reputable stores

  • When paying for items, use a credit card so you may dispute charges if necessary.

9-Ignore emails and texts from unknown sources

  • Never click on unfamiliar links within those emails and texts or scan QR codes from unknown sources

10-When in doubt, trust your gut

If you have been a victim of fraud, report it immediately to your financial institution. Review your transaction history and promptly dispute all unauthorized transactions. You’ll want to document transaction details, including dates, amounts, and the respective company name. While filing your dispute, block all compromised debit and credit cards so the fraudsters can no longer use them to make unauthorized purchases. If funds are taken using a routing and account number, close the compromised account and open a new one for added security.

To secure your online accounts and devices, update all passwords to your online accounts. If necessary, set up fraud alerts and freezes to your credit to shield it from unauthorized access. You should also conduct a thorough scan of your devices using anti-virus software if you have any suspicion that a fraudster may have gained remote access.

Alert the authorities by filing a police report if you know the person who committed fraud or compromised your identity. Your financial institution and insurance company require a police report when fraudulent activity disputes occur.

You can never be too careful this holiday season, and we want you to be safe, empowered, and secure where your finances are concerned.