Protecting Yourself from Holiday Scams: AARP Fraud Watch Network Tips

Holiday Scams: A Growing Threat

• ⚠️ The holiday season, with its sense of euphoria and urgency, creates a prime opportunity for cyber criminals to target shoppers and travelers.
• 🎯 Over 80% of Americans have experienced holiday-related fraud, highlighting the widespread nature of these scams.

Common Holiday Scams to Watch For

• 🎁 Gift card scams involve scammers stealing gift card numbers from store racks; it's advised to get gift cards from behind the counter or directly from the retailer.
• 💻 Online shopping scams often present deals that are "too good to be true," and vigilance is required to verify legitimate websites.
• 🚚 Delivery scams use spoofing to impersonate services like FedEx or UPS, often through deceptive text messages or emails asking users to click malicious links.

Verifying Online Deals and Charities

• 🔍 When shopping online, be skeptical of offers that seem unrealistic, as they are likely too good to be true.
• 🌐 Website verification is crucial; scammers can spoof legitimate sites, sometimes by altering just one letter in the URL, especially with advancements in AI.
• ✅ For charitable giving, use resources like Charity Navigator to ensure a charity is bonafide before donating.

Resources for Reporting and Protection

• 💡 The AARP Fraud Watch Network offers tips and a platform to report scams at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.
• 🗣️ Reporting scams is important to help protect others and to raise awareness about emerging fraudulent activities.