Look out for These Holiday Scams! 

The holiday season presents scammers with ample opportunity for fraud. Whether you’re shopping, booking travel, or looking to donate, be wary this holiday season! Keep an eye out for some of these common scams:

• Rock Bottom Prices –If you see a listing on Craigslist or eBay that looks too good to be true, it probably is. If the price seems very low for the item, make sure to check out the seller. Dig a little deeper by asking for their phone number, address, and references from past sales. Follow safety tips if you decide to make the purchase by meeting in a public place that has security cameras.
  
  
• Holiday Gift Cards – All e-gift cards should be scrutinized, even if it looks like it is coming from a friend or family member. Scammers send fake holiday greetings that are packed with links that install malware on your device. A real e-gift card always has a confirmation code. If it doesn’t have one, don’t click on any links.
  
  
• Donation Duds – People are more benevolent around the holidays. Before you donate to a good cause, make sure to verify that the cause or organization is legit. Additionally, never donate using a link in an email. Always go straight to the website.
  
  
• Old-fashioned Theft – Stealing mail or packages right from your front door is still common despite video doorbells. Consider using a secure post office box or a package drop box to receive mail and packages – or ask a neighbor to swing by and secure your items if you know you’ll be receiving valuable items in the mail.
  
  
• Vacation Rental Woes – As holiday travel begins, scammers may post listings only for rental properties that don’t exist. They typically try to get you to communicate with them and pay directly instead of through an app, so you can’t trace them. Be sure to use only trusted apps or websites to book your rentals.