For most of us, the holidays are a time for giving, but for scammers, it’s the season for taking. And, since many seniors are fairly new to internet use, they often are the victims of the biggest losses to cybercrime.
The top holiday scams include phishing scams, fake shipping and delivery notices, fraudulent online stores, gift card scams, and fake charities.
Phishing Scams
Unfortunately, phishing scams are one of the most popular scams making the rounds. While legitimate companies do send customers last-minute emails promoting their products, a cybercriminal will send you emails advertising face products at bargain prices to trick you into clicking on a link to a phishing website. Hackers use these replica websites to fool users into inputting their credentials and stealing their identity and funds. For this tactic, hackers hire professional designers who can replicate the institution’s website perfectly.
Fake Shipping and Delivery Notices
With the increase in online shopping, scammers are capitalizing on package delivery notifications. Fraudulent delivery notices that look like they are from Fedex, UPS, the USPS, or another shipping company are sent via email or text, prompting users to click a link to reschedule a delivery or pay a fee. For example, a consumer receives a message stating that a package couldn’t be delivered so they must click a link to reschedule. The link leads to a page that asks for personal details or payment, leading to identity theft or financial loss.
Fraudulent Online Stores
It is important to know who you’re buying from. When shopping online, it’s best to patronize well-known retailers and websites. Check each website’s URL to make sure it’s legitimate and secure. Look for a padlock symbol before the URL and a site you’re buying from should have “https” in the web address. If it doesn’t, don’t enter your information on that site. Be careful how you pay, never wire money directly to a seller. Don’t pay for items with pre-paid gift cards, use a credit card when shopping and check your account regularly. If you see a suspicious transaction, contact your credit card company to dispute the charge.
Gift Card Scams
Beware of phone calls, emails, or text messages that ask you to purchase gift cards for a personal or business event. Scammers may ask you to mail them gift cards or share the card number and pin. Someone asking you to mail a gift card or share gift card information is almost always a scam. This is popular because cards can be used like cash but are not traceable. So, you end up losing however much money you spent to buy the cards. Another way scammers use gift cards is to send a victim an email claiming they’ve won a gift card or received it as a gift. But, to claim it, they say you must give your personal information or pay a shipping fee first. Legitimate companies will not ask you for payment to receive a gift card.
Fake Charities
The spirit of giving is strong during the holidays, and scammers exploit this by creating fake charities to steal donations. Before donating to any cause, research the charity through trusted sources like Charity Navigator or the Better Business Bureau. Ensure the charity is legitimate before giving any personal or payment information. Charity scams can arrive over the phone, or via email, social media or a web search.
We all have the potential to be scammed. In fact, 20-30 year olds are scammed more often than seniors, but seniors are scammed for higher dollar amounts. Educate yourself and the seniors in your life about these and other common scams. Encourage seniors to be skeptical of urgent requests or unsolicited contacts, protect personal and financial information, and use security tools like call-blocking apps and account alerts on bank and credit card accounts.
Adrienne Miller is Chief Care Officer at Forever Care Services.
206-383-2001
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