The holiday season is a time for joy, cheer, and unfortunately, scams. Everyone is vulnerable to holiday scams. They can damage your reputation and drain your resources. In this article, we will be discussing seven of the most common holiday shopping scams, and offering tips on how to protect yourself, so that you can enjoy the holidays.

AI is Making Scams Harder to Identify


As you read through these common scenarios, keep in mind the impact of artificial intelligence (AI). AI content generation is helping fraudsters become more sophisticated. Whereas in the past, fraudulent or fake content might have been riddled with misspellings and bad grammar, today AI is doing a much better job of creating content that looks and reads professionally. This can make it more difficult to spot scams. 
 

1. Imposter Scams


One of the most common and effective scams during the holiday season is the imposter scam. An imposter poses as a family member, friend, or your bank, and requests you send money or asks for your confidential information. They will appeal to your emotions by claiming they’re in an emergency, positioning you as the hero to their sad story. These scammers will often request gift cards since they are as good as cash. Or they may request a money order or wire transfer, sometimes overseas, claiming they’re stuck in a foreign country without access to money. They usually express a sense of urgency.

2. Phishing Scams

 
Scammers often use phishing emails, text messages (calling smishing), and QR codes (called quishing) disguised as legitimate content from retailers or banks, luring you to click, tap, or scan a link that leads to a fraudulent website or requests sensitive personal information. You must be cautious with all links sent to you. Check their legitimacy, and never access a link without thoroughly examining it. Ensure your antivirus software is up-to-date and educate your friends, family, and coworkers on how to identify phishing scams.

3. Fake Websites

 
Another popular scam during the holiday season is creating fake websites that mimic popular retailers. These fraudulent websites have one goal: stealing your payment information and using it to commit card fraud. A common tactic of fraudsters is to create website domains that are very close to the authentic thing. For example, a fraudster may create a website with the domain amazzon.com that looks like the real Amazon website. Always type the website URL directly into your browser instead of clicking a link from an email or other third-party site. If something looks suspicious, it probably is.

4. Insecure Connections


Never do business with a website that does not use SSL technology to encrypt sensitive data. SSL stands for secure sockets layer, and a website that is utilizing this protocol will feature HTTPS (the “S” denotes secure) in the URL and will have a locked padlock icon in the URL bar in your browser. This padlock indicates that data you enter into the website is encrypted over a secure connection. If you enter sensitive data into a website that is not utilizing SSL technology, the odds of the data being intercepted by hackers is high.

5. Gift Card Scams

 
Gift cards have become a popular gift during the holiday season. Unfortunately, they have also become a popular scam target. A common activity for scammers is to sell fake gift cards or gift cards that have already been used. To avoid falling for this scam, ensure you purchase gift cards from legitimate sources - directly from retailers or known gift card sellers.

6. Fake Shipping Notifications

 
During the holiday season, it is common for retailers to send shipping notifications to customers. Scammers have taken advantage of this practice by sending fake shipping notifications that contain malware or redirecting you to a fake website that steals your sensitive information. Be wary of shipping notifications you do not expect or that do not look legitimate. Always check the email address carefully before opening these notifications, and never click links inside an email that you were not expecting.

7. Social Media Scams

 
Scammers use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) to promote holiday shopping scams, as it is easier to cast a broad net. Several tactics include offering fake promotions and deals or fake giveaways to ultimately collect your personal information. Whenever you see a promotion on a social media platform, check the source before you share any information or fill out a form. Be sure to confirm the social media account is the authentic account for the business. You can do this by manually entering the business’ website URL directly into your browser, and then searching the website for their social media accounts. These accounts are generally listed in the footer of the website or on the About page.

Conclusion

Be sure you have account alerts in place with your bank. Most banks, including CrossFirst, feature the ability to easily setup alerts through digital banking. These can be customized to trigger an email or text in the event of suspicious activity on your account. This is an essential safeguard that may save you from falling victim to a fraud attempt on your account.
 
The holiday season can be quickly ruined by fraudsters. By staying informed and following the tips listed above, you can help avoid and protect yourself against holiday shopping scams. Remember, it's better to be cautious and check things twice.
 
Don’t forget - CrossFirst Bank will never ask you to reveal or confirm any sensitive information, such as an account number, PIN, Password or Online ID from an email, unsolicited phone call, or text message. The security and confidentiality of your personal information is a top priority. If you have any questions, please call the number listed on your account statement or Client Care at (844) 261-2548.
 
Banks Never Ask That, from the American Bankers Association, is a fantastic resource for learning about scams and how to avoid them. It includes quizzes, fun videos, infographics, and more.