4 Scams to Watch Out for After the Holidays
The weeks after the holiday season generally bring an increase in scams that can be difficult to spot. Here are four scams to watch for after the holidays.
1) Charity scams
When giving to charity this time of year, be extra cautious. Verify it’s legit by looking up the organization on Charity Navigator, doing a quick Google search with the “charity name+scam,” and looking for a physical address and phone number on its website. Also, if you have a specific cause you like giving to, contact them personally instead of clicking on an ad that allegedly represents them.
2) Bargain-priced gifts for sale
The weeks following the holidays bring a rush of scams on resale sites like Craigslist and eBay.
Avoid a gift scam by exercising caution when buying an item on a resale site, especially after the holidays. Ask for the seller’s phone number, street address, and several references to see if they have checked out. If everything seems in order, arrange to meet in a well-lit populated area, preferably with security cameras. Make the exchange after you’ve checked out the item's legitimacy, using cash only.
3) Belated holiday e-cards
Scammers send thousands of virtual greetings after the holidays, most of which are loaded with malware. An authentic e-card will include a confirmation code to copy and paste to the associated website. If you receive a late e-card with such a code, don’t open it. Mark it as spam and delete the email.
4) Post-holiday sales
Unfortunately, many advertised sales you may see in the weeks after the holidays are actually scams. The scammers may be working off a bogus site resembling one representing a legitimate business. They may target their victims with emails that advertise “sales” but are embedded with malware.
Before making an online purchase, check the site for signs of authenticity. Look for the “s” after the “http,” and check for the lock icon in the URL. Check the URL for misspellings if the site allegedly represents a well-known retailer. Look for the store’s logo on the site, and continue to check the URL of each landing page as you complete your purchase.
Stay safe out there, and find more like this on our MoneySmart Tips Blog.