The winter holiday season is prime time for scammers to take advantage of unsuspecting, overspent shoppers. Protect yourself from becoming a victim by being informed on how these frauds typically work.
Like most new scams, seasonal scams usually share components with their old counterparts, but often employ a simple new twist. The Better Business Bureau warns consumers to be on the lookout for the following three holiday schemes this year:
1) Holiday E-Card Scams
Electronic cards are a great, inexpensive way to stay connected to friends and family during the holiday season. The downfall of e-cards is that they require the receiver to either click on a link or install software in order to view the card. Criminals sending fraudulent e-cards to unsuspecting users often embed viruses, spyware, malware and trojans in these links and software.
How can you protect yourself? Common signs that you have received a problematic e-card in your inbox include receiving it from an unknown sender or generic sender (such as a “friend” or “relative”), spelling mistakes in the email or those with an attachment. To protect yourself, make sure you never open an email, click on a link, or download software from an unknown source. Never open an e-card that comes with an attachment and be sure you regularly install and update antivirus and spyware software.
2) Counterfeit Electronics
Purchasing discounted electronics online or via classified ads may seem like a great way to get a costly product at a reduced rate, but be warned that the promise of low-cost electronics often comes with the price of being ripped off. Cell phones, computers and gaming devices are only a few of the counterfeit electronic gadgets being produced and sold.
Counterfeit electronics may be less expensive and work relatively well, but they are often made with faulty parts, substandard circuitry and may pose a safety hazard. How can you protect yourself? The simplest way to avoid purchasing counterfeit electronics (while saving some money) is to look for seasonal sales at reputable electronic stores.
To find a trustworthy brick and mortar or online electronics dealer visit vi.bbb.org and search by “type of business.” When you purchase a product, make sure you understand the refund or exchange policy and get a receipt. To determine if an electronic device is legitimate or counterfeit, check the product, packaging and instruction manual to make sure it is CSA international certified, contains all its listed components (i.e. cables, batteries etc.) and that it hasn’t been damaged or tampered with.
3) Fake Charities
Holidays are the best time of year for charities to fundraise, and a great time of year for con artists to pull on the heartstrings of unsuspecting victims by pretending to represent a charity. Many fake charities mimic legitimate charities in their name, cause and services. How can you protect yourself?
Protect yourself by planning who you will donate money to this holiday season. If you decide to donate impulsively, write a cheque to the organization, not the person fundraising. Ask for a receipt with the name and contact information of the charity. Never give out personal or banking information and don’t fall victim to high-pressure fundraising tactics. If possible, research the charity before you make a donation.
For information on protecting yourself throughout the year, visit www.bbb.org/canada/ (Canada).
Article by Better Business Bureau, Reprinted with permission from Senior Living Magazine.
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