The holiday season is in fact a time when thieves attempt to capitalize on people, ultimately spoiling their cheer. Increasingly, these crooks are using computers and telephone scams to try and take advantage of you. The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office would like to offer some tips to folks in order to avoid becoming a victim.
Fake Websites
A fast growing online scam during the holiday season is the creation of fake websites. The pages often look professional with logos and testimonials from “real” customers. However, you should beware of sites which offer hard to find gifts at fantastic bargain prices. You may receive an email with a link or attachment, which seems harmless, but is in fact an effort to rip you off. Instead of clicking on the email, type the company’s website directly into your browser to check if the deal is legitimate.
Scammers will take your money by not sending the item you ordered and may also capture your credit card information, which could lead to further financial losses. If you are not familiar with the name of a site, research it to see if it is credible. Remember, when a special offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Gift Cards
Another popular holiday scam is an offer for large discounts on gift cards. Don’t fall for offers from retailers or social media posts where vouchers or gift cards are paired with special promotions or contests. In some cases, the posts may even appear to have been shared by one of your friends, but in actuality your friend’s account was hacked. It’s ok to be skeptical. Always think before you click on offers or attachments that are advertising gift cards and vouchers.
Bogus Shipping Notices
You may receive emails that appear to come from UPS and FedEx. The message will state there’s been a problem with your package and it cannot be delivered. Understand that these are not real emails from UPS or FedEx. They are phishing attacks aimed to make you click on a link or open an attachment. Once you do this, your computer can become infected with a virus or ransomware, a type of malware, which holds all of your files hostage until you pay a ransom fee. Always visit the official websites of parcel carriers (UPS, FedEx, USPS, etc.) and enter your tracking number to get accurate information about your packages.
Refund Scam
Emails may arrive from retail chains or e-commerce companies such as Amazon or eBay claiming there’s a wrong transaction on your account and you must click a link for a refund. Stop! Once you click the link, a form will appear that asks for your personal information. The information you provide will then be sold to cyber criminals who use it to try and steal your identity.
Star Wars Scam
A new phishing email is now circulating and it’s attached to the highly-anticipated film, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which hits theaters December 18th. The sender tricks people into thinking they can win free tickets to the movie, but it’s actually an electronic attack. Do not fall for this scam!
Telephone Scam
Someone may call and claim to be with a charitable organization such as the Salvation Army. They will try and solicit you to make a donation by either sending cash, a check or having you read your credit card number to them. Never trust that the person on the other end of the line is who they say they are. If you would like to make a donation, you should contact the organization yourself and arrangement to make a payment.
Payment Options
Never pay online with a debit card, only use credit cards. If your debit card is compromised, the scammer can wipe out your bank account immediately. Credit cards offer more protection by not allowing you to be financially responsible for fraudulent charges.
For more information on scam alerts and filing a consumer complaint, please visit https://www.ftc.gov/
