Bah humbug! Don’t fall for these holiday scams

HOUSTON – As you go out and buy gifts this holiday season, it’s important to be on the lookout for scams.

Some people use this time to target others.

Be careful when you see deals on social media or when donating to charities. Make sure to pause if you are asked to make a payment through a wire transfer, prepaid debit card, or gift card.

List of Christmas scams

1. Misleading social media ads: Be careful if you make purchases online through social media ads. Every day, the Better Business Bureau receives messages from people saying that after they did this, they did not receive the items they paid for, or they got an item that looked different than what they purchased.
2. Social media gift exchanges: This is an illegal pyramid scheme that has been around for a while. There are different versions of it. Some people might be asked to exchange bottles of wine; another suggests buying $10 gifts online. Another version also asks people to add their email to a list where strangers can pick someone’s name and “pay it forward.” These schemes can be dangerous because you can be asked to share your personal information and buy gifts for strangers.
3. Holiday apps: Be careful of what holiday apps you download. There are several apps on the Apple Store and Google Play Store created for the holidays, and they can contain malware or viruses. Some of these apps can allow children to video chat with Santa or watch Santa feed reindeer.
4. Fake texts that say you’ve been hacked: People often receive texts and emails that say your Amazon, bank account or Netflix has been compromised. This scam usually asks people to take action. Make sure to contact your provider if you are unsure about an incident.
5. Free gift cards: Scammers might promise people fake gift cards to receive your personal information. Criminals might also pretend to be with a certain company.
6. Temporary holiday jobs: Use caution if you apply for a seasonal job, because scammers might be trying to be sneaky and steal your personal information and money. There are a lot of companies looking for workers during the holidays, including stores and shipping businesses.
7. Look-alike websites: Some scammers might send you emails with fake websites that appear to be legit. These can cause you to download malware or make dead-end purchases if you click on their link. To verify if a website is the correct one, search the name here.
8. Fake charities: The end of the year is the season of giving. Be on the lookout for fake charities. Some scammers use this time as an opportunity to target kind community members.