Scams to Watch Out for this Holiday Season

While scams are something to watch out for all year round, scammers particularly try to target businesses and consumers around the holiday season. Add technology and social media into the mix, many emails and social media postings can sound and look like legitimate offerings at first.

Whether it’s about a charity organization, discounted items, or event promotion, this article will help you uncover some red flags and warning signs to consider before transferring that payment or clicking on that link.

1. Misleading social media ads.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Whether it’s a free trial or a monthly discount, ensure you double-check if there is a link to a legitimate website, contact information available, are there reviews about the product or service when you Google it, etc. The less information you find, the wearier you should be about that social media ad.

2. Holiday apps.

Apple’s App Store and Google Play have tons of apps available for children during the holidays – ensure you review the fine print and read over the privacy settings to protect yourself from the information that is being collected.

3. Compromised accounts.

People receive messages all the time about their Amazon or Netflix account being compromised, but it can happen to business owners with their PayPal or Bank Accounts. Be careful about opening suspicious emails, text messages, or answering unexpected calls regarding the overtaking or suspension of your accounts, especially if scammers are demanding payment immediately.

4. Temp holiday jobs.

There are individuals out there who attempt to steal business IDs. Be wary of this and pay attention to ads, job postings, or social posts to ensure scammers aren’t using your business information to lure in job seekers in order to get their personal information.

5. Fake charities.

As a result of the pandemic, many fundraising events have been cancelled or moved to a virtual setting to take COVID-19 into account. Be sure to research the charity organization to make sure that it is legitimate, and your donations aren’t being taken advantage of.

To learn more about other scams to watch out for click here.

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