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Avoiding Fraud During the Holidays: Tips to Stay Secure

Every year, the holidays bring hustle, bustle, good cheer – and, unfortunately, increased scam activity. In 2023, Americans lost over $12.5 billion to fraudsters, including $309,648,416 in online shopping and non-delivery scams, according to the FBI.1

With the holidays approaching, we would like to take this opportunity to raise awareness of the increased threat of holiday-related thefts and scams. Here are a few basic actions you can take to mitigate the risk and ensure the holidays are stress-free for you and yours:2

  • Stealing delivered packages is more common during the holidays. Bring deliveries indoors to avoid theft or giving the impression that you are out of town.
  • Avoid oversharing on social media. If you are leaving town for the holidays, be sure your posts about your current whereabouts are not public.
  • There is an increase in phishing scams around the holidays. Be wary of messages regarding shipping address change requests or missed delivery notification texts, online holiday greeting card messages and deals that are “too good to be true.” Do not open suspicious emails or links.
  • Protect your personally identifiable information (PII). Fraudsters have been known to set up fake holiday websites that ask you to complete a survey to win free gifts.
  • Purchase gift cards from reputable retailers.
  • Purchase airline tickets directly from the airline or reputable third-party sellers.
  • Don’t carry anything in your purse or wallet that is not absolutely necessary. Leave Social Security cards and checkbooks at home.
  • Minimize the amount of credit cards you carry.
  • Stop delivery of mail and/or newspapers while you are out of town.
  • Notify a neighbor of your travel plans.
  • Never leave personal documents unsecured in vehicles or hotel rooms.
  • Beware of pickpockets, especially when traveling internationally.
  • Take caution when using public computers and Wi-Fi. Use a VPN when using public Wi-Fi services.
     

Wishing you and yours a safe, secure and happy holiday season! 
 

Sources

1FBI: IC3.gov. Annual Report 2023. 2023_IC3Report.pdf 

2efraudprevention.net. Stay safe when traveling. https://efraudprevention.net/home/education/?a=40.