Merry Christmas…well almost. With only 6 more weekends before Christmas, the sense of urgency to find the perfect gift can be overwhelming. Here are a few tips to help you avoid those scammers out there just waiting to take advantage and ruin your holiday cheer.

1. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers delight in collecting your credit or debit card payment information then suddenly, they are gone and so are the items you ordered.
2. Fake websites. Scammers are relying on you to be too busy to notice a fake website domain. Look for sites that start with https. If you didn’t type the website domain name into the search engine yourself, consider the source from which the link was provided. Examine the domain very carefully. Scammers create fake domains, so they look very similar to the real domain by simply adding a hyphen, misspellings, or changing the font style, etc…
3. Phishing Emails and Texts. Tis the season for full mail and test boxes. Unfortunately, not everything that comes into your inbox is legit. Texts warning that a package cannot be delivered due to missing address information, additional postage due, or other excuses are phishing for personal information like your credit or debit card numbers or even your bank account number. If something looks or feels strange, don’t click the link; instead track packages through the retailer’s official website.
4. You just won a free gift card! Who doesn’t want something for free, especially a gift card to your favorite retailer or coffee shop. Don’t fall victim to these scams either by traditional mail or through email. Again, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
5. Charities are safe places to donate to, right? Donating to a charity of your choice is a great thing to do during the holidays or throughout the year. Make sure you are going straight to the organization’s legitimate website. Be wary of emotional requests from unknown organizations. Do your homework. Check out the organization before donating.
6. Social Media Ads. Be careful of ads offering too good to be true sales, free vouchers, or gift cards. Look for customer reviews. Look for complete contact information. Scammers usually do not provide detailed contact information. Legitimate sellers will always provide a secure payment method. Avoid sites that do not provide secure connections. Be sure to check for clear refund or return policies.

To avoid scams during the holidays and throughout the year, you must remain diligent. Ignore or delete emails or texts with strange links or attachments. Watch out for organizations that only accept gift cards, debit cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency or mailing cash as forms of payment. Use strong passwords. Never share your banking credentials. And finally, trust your gut. If something feels, sounds or looks weird, was unsolicited, or sounds too good to be true, STOP! You just might avoid being scammed. Happy holidays!