FBI El Paso wants to warn local holiday shoppers to enjoy a scam-free holiday season by being cautious against holiday scammers.
The Better Business Bureau says expects 73% of online shopping to be done on smartphones this holiday season during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, exceeding more than 13 billion dollars.
Common scams this holiday season include:
Online Shopping Scams
Too-good-to-be-true deals via phishing e-mails, texts, or advertisements. Such schemes may offer brand-name merchandise at extremely low prices or offer gift cards as an incentive. Other sites may offer products at a great price, but the products being sold are not the same as the products advertised.Consumers should steer clear of untrustworthy sites or ads offering items at unrealistic discounts or with special coupons.Gift Card Scams
Beware of sites and posts offering work they can do from home. These opportunities rely on convenience as a selling point but may have fraudulent intentions. Consumers should carefully research the job posting and individuals or company offering employment.Social Media Shopping Scams
Beware of posts on social media sites that appear to offer vouchers or gift cards. Some may appear as holiday promotions or contests. Others may appear to be from known friends who have shared the link. Often, these scams lead consumers to participate in an online survey that is designed to steal personal information.If you click an ad through a social media platform, do your due diligence to check the legitimacy of the website before providing credit card or personal information.Charity Scams
Perpetrators set up false charities and profit from individuals who believe they are making donations to legitimate charitable organizations. Charity fraud rises during the holiday season, when individuals seek to make end-of-year tax deductible gifts or are reminded of those less fortunate and wish to contribute to a good cause.Charity scam solicitations may come through cold calls, e-mail campaigns, crowdfunding platforms, or fake social media accounts and websites. They are designed to make it easy for victims to give money and feel like they’re making a difference.Work-From-Home Scams
Beware of sites and posts offering work they can do from home. These opportunities rely on convenience as a selling point but may have fraudulent intentions. Consumers should carefully research the job posting and individuals or company offering employment.RECOMMENDED:
To avoid falling victim to scams:
Do your homework on the retailer/website/person to ensure legitimacy.Conduct a business inquiry of the online retailer on the Better Business Bureau’s website (www.bbb.org).Check other websites regarding the company for reviews and complaints.Be wary of online retailers offering goods at significantly discounted prices.Be wary of online retailers who use a free e-mail service instead of a company e-mail address.Don’t judge a company by their website; flashy websites can be set up and taken down quickly.Beware of purchases or services that require payment with a gift card.Beware of providing credit card information when requested through unsolicited e-mails.Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail or respond to them.Check credit card statements routinely. It is important to check statements after the holiday season, as many fraudulent charges can show up even several weeks later.Be cautious of e-mails claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.Verify requests for personal information from any business or financial institution by contacting them using the main contact information on their official website.Make charitable contributions directly, rather than through an intermediary, and pay via credit card or check; avoid cash donations, if possible.Beware of organizations with copycat names similar to reputable charities; most legitimate charity websites use .org (NOT .com).RECOMMENDED:
If you do end up falling for a scam:
Call your financial institution or credit card company to stop payment or dispute the chargeResources you can contact about a scam include calling the FBI at 915-832-5000 or you can report the scam at the FBI's internet crime complaint center at .
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