Just because the holidays are over doesn't mean you should let your guard down. Here are a few post-holiday scams to stay aware of.

Charity scams

When donating to charity this time of year (or anytime!), be extra cautious. Verify it’s legit by looking up the organization on CharityNavigator.org and look for a physical address and phone number on its website. Also, if you like giving to a specific cause, contact them directly instead of clicking on an ad that allegedly represents them.

Bargain-priced gifts for sale

The weeks following the holidays bring a rush of scams on resale sites like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay. Avoid a bait-and-switch by exercising caution when buying an item on a resale site. If a price is too good to be true, it likely isn’t. Ask for the seller’s phone number, street address, and for several references to see if they check out. If everything seems to be in order, make arrangements to meet in a well-lit and populated area, preferably one with security cameras like a big box store’s parking lot or local police station. Make the exchange after you’ve checked out the legitimacy of the item and use cash to pay. Do not provide personal banking details or credit card information with the seller.

Belated holiday e-cards

Scammers send thousands of virtual greetings after the holidays. The goal of these fraudulent e-cards is to get you to click a link within it which is loaded with malware. If you receive an e-card from someone you don’t know, don’t click any links or download anything in the message. Mark it as spam and delete the email. If it comes from someone you do know, inspect it carefully before clicking anything and even reach out to the person to confirm that they sent it.

Travel scams

When the holidays are over, you may start dreaming of warmer weather and sunny beaches. If you’re beginning to think of booking a spring vacation, beware of any offers that seem too good to be true. Scammers employ tactics like emails and robocalls offering “free” vacations or discounted flights. Don’t fall into these traps. Never send money, especially if they say you can only pay by wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.

Post-holiday sales

Unfortunately, lots of the advertised sales you may see in the weeks after the holidays are actually scams. The scammers may be working off a bogus site that looks just like one representing a legitimate business, or they may be targeting 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. If the site allegedly represents a well-known retailer, check the URL for misspellings. Look for the store’s logo on the site, and continue to check the URL of each landing page as you complete your purchase.

For more tips on how to stay safe from scammers after the holidays and all year long, check out MSGCU’s security center or stop by any of our 24 branches to talk with a team member.

Category: Security