Holidays are a busy time for most of us. We’re wrapped up in the excitement of gift-giving, shopping, hosting, and prepping, there’s just so much to keep in mind when you’re maximizing your holiday experience.  

While we’re shopping for the perfect gift, hanging up the Christmas lights, or baking cookies with the family, someone else is busy this time of year, and they’re not filling out cards or sending letters to Santa. They’re fraudsters, and they’re trying to steal your money. 

Fraud increases significantly during the holiday season and its prevalence should make you pause before opening that incredible new deal that just popped up in your inbox. 

You’re probably thinking, “oh come on, one more thing to have to worry about this season?”

Yes! When it comes to keeping your identity safe, you can never be too busy.  

Don’t let the thieves rob you of your holiday cheer this year. Here are a few of the more popular fraud tactics you should keep in mind while celebrating the holiday season. 

1. Fake Charities. What better time to prey on the generosity of people than during the holiday season? Bad actors abound, and you can bet they’ll try preying on your generosity by posing as a charity to get you to hand over a donation, no matter the amount. When giving to charities, stick with the ones you trust. Visit their site directly to make your donation instead of clicking on a link. 
2. Lookalike Online Stores. These are common on social media and can be extremely convincing. Fraudsters put together a fake website and then create attractive ads that promote incredible deals to get you to click. They post those ads on social media and link back to their site where you select your item and can even complete a purchase. Oftentimes, people who fall for this find out it’s a scam when they never receive their item. Be careful when you see sites offering great deals. Even if it looks legit or appears to be a brand you recognize, check the URL to verify it’s the actual brand’s site, and always make sure to check the website for contact information and a return policy. If they don’t have either, then it’s a huge red flag that the site is fraudulent.
3. Phishing Scam Emails. If you’re like me, your email inbox is overflowing with deals, offers, and other holiday specials. But, where the emails abound, fraudsters are likely to be present. Keep a close eye on the emails you receive, and beware of deceptive ones camouflaged to look like reputable sites. Keep a sharp eye out for urgent messages, spelling or grammar errors, and other red flags. Hover over all URLs before clicking to make sure they link back to the brand site, and don’t open any attachments or click any links before making sure they’re legitimate. 
4. Fake Event or Travel Tickets. Who doesn’t want to save on their next big vacation or favorite star’s uber-expensive music tour. If you’re a travel or experience aficionado, you’re likely to be watching for discounts and offers for traveling or other experiences. But beware because this is another way scammers try to trick you. You may see offers for deeply discounted travel or concert deals through email or social media. They can also come as fake sweepstakes where you’re notified that you won an all-expenses paid trip to the destination of your dreams or a free cruise to a tropical paradise, but you don’t remember entering. Again, think twice before clicking on unbelievable travel deals or notices. Work through companies and websites you trust to avoid falling for one of these scams. 
5. Missed Delivery Notifications. This tactic tries to trick you into clicking a link via a text message. Scammers send you a text message appearing to be one of the nationally recognized delivery companies, informing you of a missed delivery or a delivery update. Since we’re all likely waiting on deliveries this time of year, receiving a message like this might not seem so suspicious. Once you click the link, you’re brought to a fake website where you’re prompted to provide sensitive information like a credit card or SSN to retrieve your order update. If you get a message like this, don’t click the link. Delivery companies won’t ask you to provide a credit card number or social to look up delivery information. Visit the company’s website directly to track your order, get updates, or to contact them.

Before we close, we want to remind you of these best practices to safeguard yourself from fraud not only this time of year but all year round. 

• Be very wary of any urgent message prompting you to act now 
• If it looks too good to be true, it probably is 
• If you get a phone call from a Financial Institution or another company you do business with asking for sensitive information, hang up and call them at the number listed on their website 
• Make sure you have identity protection and fraud monitoring to help with resolution. There are a lot of affordable options out there that give you a great benefit for a reasonable price, like Triangle’s Better Checking with ID protection. If you’re interested, visit a branch or check the website to learn more. 

The holiday season is supposed to be full of comfort and joy. And though I don’t want to bring you bad tidings or negative vibes, I want to keep you informed so you can enjoy your celebrations in peace. 

Stay safe and enjoy a fraud-free holiday!