With the holiday season well upon us, one of the unfortunate downsides of any holiday season is that scam artists are out there looking to take advantage. Here’s a look at some of the most common scams that take place during the holiday season.
In order to avoid being taken advantage of with this scam, ask the cashier to give you a gift card from behind the counter. In addition, if the card has a security strip that covers the serial number, make sure it hasn’t been tampered with before you make a purchase.
As would be expected, there are online scams, such as “phising“, to watch out for as well. For example, during this time of the year, thieves send bulk e-mails out that offer great deals on merchandise and still others asking for charitable contributions. These emails will contain a link taking you to a web site where you give up your credit card information. I’ve mentioned this before, but it definitely needs to be said again – never click a link within an email and then make a purchase of any kind. These phishing scams are far too common these days.
There are many charity scams going around during the holiday season as well. During this time of the year, many of us have thoughts of giving and look for charitable causes to give to. Before donating over the phone or to someone making door to door solicitations, however, make sure the solicitor has identification and you can verify that the charity is legitimate. You can contact http://www.give.org/ to check the validity of any charity. You should also verify that the cause has a tax exempt status before giving. The best way to make charitable donations is to go directly to the charity rather than giving when they come to you. The sad reality is that there are far too many thieves out there taking advantage of generous people with big hearts.
Watch out for credit repair scams as well. This is a year-round scam, but seems to pop up even more during the holiday season. Ignore any ads that guarantee loans after you pay a fee. Don’t get suckered into these scams because you are desperate for holiday money – contact a local lender with ties to the community instead.
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