By Tessa Schulz
WKTV Contributor

‘Tis the season to watch out for holiday scammers. With the holidays fast approaching beware of any deals that appear too good to be true. Scams create the illusion of being trustworthy on the outside yet are a façade fooling consumers into sharing personal information and sending money.

Scams can come in many shapes and sizes, yet they aren’t the gift you’d like this holiday season. Scams can appear blatantly obvious or they can be concealed from what seem to be reputable sources.

Some of the biggest online shops have had scammers impersonating the organization. Amazon, Facebook Marketplace, and your local department stores all have scammers lurking around impersonating trustworthy transactions and tricking consumers.

Scam Data

Federal Trade Commission data reports that in 2021 online shopping scams contained $3.92 million in total reported losses with the median loss for consumers was $500 dollars.

Shoppers that have fallen victim to questionable purchases are not always compensated for their financial losses. According to the FTC, 25% of 2021 consumers reported a loss to fraud.

Types of Scams

Some of the most common scams are internet auction fraud, phishing, order confirmation scams, and technical support scams.

Internet auction fraud occurs when a seller misrepresents merchandise online. In many cases, items are left undelivered, with the buyer at a loss for their money. Scammers may advertise items with outrageous deals and discounts swindling shoppers into franticly buying nonexistent listings. Eventually, shoppers are met with remorse when their item never arrives on their doorstep.

 

Phishing is a scam where fake emails, text messages, and websites are used to commit identity theft or steal personal information. The criminal may ask personal questions fishing around and urging you to share your bank account numbers, debit card pin, or other personal information. Typically a scammer’s contact information mimics the names of larger brands hustling shoppers into trusting and handing out their personal information.

Order confirmation scams provide unwarranted emails, texts, and phone calls claiming that you need to confirm or deny unauthorized purchases. Amazon recently published a memo warning customers of scammers mimicking counterfeit transactions and seeking personal information. Panic-stricken shoppers may rush in order to cancel fake purchases when in reality they are being conned.

 

A technical support scam is a type of fraud where a scammer insists that you need to buy tech support for your devices.

Data breaches can occur to those who download software on their devices. Sensitive information can be stolen, hacked into, and leaked.

Malware is online software containing viruses and spyware. Malware is often undetectable and is a large threat to your online security. 

Tips to Avoid Scams

Always use direct websites when seeking customer service and tech support.

Do not react to scams based on the principle of urgency. Many scammers want you to feel the need to “act now.”

In no case should you provide payment, or bank account information, install software, or purchase gift cards when prompted to respond in an urgent nature.

Be cautious when providing any personal information including account numbers and passwords when completing purchases online or on the telephone. Contacting customer service with any questions regarding transactions may ensure safe shopping.

Santa and his reindeer want you to steer clear of holiday scams this year, be sure to travel with ease online to protect your wallet this season.