Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is offering information on the most common holiday scams and tips to avoid falling victim to those scams. Scammers often use the stress of the holiday season to take advantage of consumers.
A news release from Schmitt’s office says:
MOST COMMON HOLIDAY SCAMS:
1. Phony package delivery notices – scammers will send out phishing emails disguised as UPS, FedEx or U.S. Postal Service notifications of incoming or missed deliveries. They will send links leading to phony sign-in pages asking for personal information or sites infested with malware.
2. Fake Charities – holiday season is the “season for giving”. You may see people out on the streets with fliers or they may call you on the phone asking for donations. Most legitimate charities will not contact you directly. It works the other way around – if you want to give, contact your charity directly. Do not give out personal or financial information over the phone and be wary of fake websites and pushy telemarketers.
3. Travel scams – going home or traveling over the holidays can carry a risk. Spoof booking sites or emails that offer deals that look too good to be true are likely scams. Do your homework, and research as much as you can before you book. Make reservations through sites or agents that are commonly known.
4. Letter from Santa scams – a custom letter from Santa makes a holiday treat for the little ones on your list, and many legitimate businesses offer them. But so do many scammers looking to scavenge personal information about you or, worse, your kids or grandchildren, who may not learn until many years later that their identity was stolen and their credit compromised.
SCAM WARNING SIGNS:
· Huge discounts on hot gift items, especially when touted on social media posts or unfamiliar websites.
· Spelling errors or shoddy grammar on a shopping website or in an email.
· A shopping or travel site does not list a phone number or street address for the business and offers only an email address or a fill-in contact form.
· A site does not have a privacy policy.
· An unsolicited email asks you to click on a link or download an app to access a deal or arrange a delivery.
DO’s:
· Do mouse over links in emails and social media ads to display the true destination URL, and click through only if you’re certain it’s a legitimate site.
· Do pay by credit card. That way you can dispute charges and limit the damage if it turns out you were scammed.
· Do research unfamiliar retail, travel and charity sites online. Search for their names with terms like “scam,” “complaints” or “reviews,” and look them up on evaluation and information sites like those listed below under “More Resources.”
· Do look for return and refund policies when shopping on an unfamiliar or suspicious site, and make sure they are clear.
· Do carefully examine gift cards at the point of purchase. Signs of tampering could mean a thief has accessed the card’s PIN code and can drain its value as soon as someone buys and loads it.
DON’Ts:
· Don’t conduct financial transactions on a site unless the URL begins with “https://” or there’s a padlock or unbroken key icon in the address bar or at the bottom of the browser window. These indicate a secure connection.
· Don’t buy anything online while using a public Wi-Fi network. It might not be secure.
· Don’t make a purchase or donation if a website or caller seeks payment by wire transfer, gift card or prepaid card. These are like forking over cash that you’ll likely never see again.
If you do fall victim to a scam, file a complaint with the Missouri Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at (800) 392-8222 or at ago.mo.gov.