5 Ways To Avoid Scams Over The Holidays

The holidays are right around the corner, which means the year’s busiest shopping and traveling season is almost upon us. The holidays are a busy and exciting time for seeing friends and family, but a damper can easily be put on them if you fall prey to a fraudulent scam. Here are some helpful tips to help you avoid scams this holiday season.

 1. Never Use Your Credit Card on a Site That Isn’t Secure

When malls and stores become flooded with people, it’s tempting to shop from the comfort of your laptop. Be wary of unfamiliar sites, which can be designed to look like merchandise selling sites but can actually be set up to steal your credit card information. Even sites that are legitimate but not secure can be easily hacked, leaving your information compromised. Stick to sites with security certificates.

 2. Be Cautious of Fraudulent Charities

Many people use the holidays as an opportunity to help those less fortunate than them, and unfortunately, many fraudulent operations capitalize on people’s kindness by setting up fake charities that are simply a way to scam people out of money. Only give donations to charities that you know to be legitimate.

If you have a question about whether a charity is real, search for it on a directory like the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. This also applies to charities that appeal to people looking to give a charitable gift, such as sponsoring an animal in a foreign country. While many of these organizations are wonderful, the fraudulent ones help no one but the scam artist, so do your research.

 3. Question Travel Deals That Are Too Good to Be True

Airline and hotel prices can be incredibly expensive around the holidays, leaving many people to search online or elsewhere for deals. If a hotel or airline package is too good to be true, or comes from a company you have never heard of, use caution before surrendering your banking information. Many phishing scams are set up to look like travel deals and offer nothing but identity theft.

 4. Never Allow Anyone to See You Enter Your Pin Number When Using Your Debit Card

Most people are aware that they must protect their pin, but may lose sight of this while shopping at an overcrowded Black Friday sale. When people are crowded behind you, you may not be aware of how easy it is for someone to see your pin. Some scam artists can even replicate your card information by using just your card number, so guard this information closely.

 5. Never Put Full Credit Card or Banking Information in an Email

The only place you should ever put any kind of credit card information online is a highly secure, encrypted site. Email can be highly insecure, and can easily be seen by someone other than the person it was intended for. If a vendor asks you to submit credit card or banking information via email, be cautious of them and consider shopping with a different seller. 

As an Associate Lawyer at Martin Stanley Law, Jefffrey R. Lamb practices a myriad of law types that includes financial malpractice. He is a devoted husband to his wife and in his off time donates his time speaking about Law practices and their application to daily and business practices.