The holiday season brings joy, generosity, and unfortunately, an uptick in scams. Busy schedules increased online shopping, and charitable giving can leave people vulnerable to scammers and their deceptive tactics.

By understanding the most common holiday scams, you can shop, donate, and travel with greater peace of mind. This guide outlines common holiday scams, how to spot red flags, and actionable steps to protect yourself.

Common Holiday Scams

Phishing Emails, Calls or Texts

Scammers often imitate brands or people you trust to lower your guard. During the holidays, that can mean delivery companies, retailers, charities, travel firms, family members, or banks. They’ll send deceptive messages with the goal of stealing sensitive information like passwords and card numbers.  

Safety tip: Always verify the source. Don’t click on suspicious links. Remember that banks will never ask for confidential or financial information over the phone or by email or text. When in doubt, call your banker. 
 

Delivery Scams

During the holidays, scammers often impersonate delivery companies like UPS, FedEx, or USPS to trick people into sharing personal information or clicking malicious links that may contain malware. These scams typically arrive via email or text, claiming a package is delayed, needs address confirmation, or requires a small fee to release. Messages might even impersonate a company’s logo or email address format.

Safety Tip: If you receive a suspicious text or email claiming to be from a delivery company, do not click on any links. Instead, visit the company’s official website directly to track deliveries or contact customer service. Keep in mind that delivery companies will never ask you for personal information such as your SSN.
 

Gift Card Scams

Gift card scams take a few different forms during the holidays. One of the most common gift card scams involves scammers selling fraudulent gift cards via online marketplaces or fake online stores. If you unknowingly send a scammer money for one of these gift cards, you’ll receive an empty gift card in return. Similarly, scammers are known to steal gift cards from stores, drain them of their funds, and then return them to store shelves with a $0 balance only to fool unsuspecting buyers. Gift card scams can also be executed through phishing emails or texts that appear to be from someone you know. These messages will ask you to purchase multiple gift cards on the scammer’s behalf – whether that’s for a holiday party or another seemingly valid reason.

Safety tip: Stick to purchasing gift cards that are kept behind the counter at retail stores or from a retailer’s official website. If you receive a message that asks you to purchase gift cards, verify its authenticity by contacting the person you believe the request came from using the contact information you have on record for them.
 

Charity Scams

While charity scams are not exclusive to the holiday season, scammers often take advantage of people’s generosity during the season of giving. Scammers will create fake charity websites and fraudulent GoFundMe campaigns featuring heartfelt stories to tug at the heart strings of unsuspecting victims.

Safety tip: Always verify the authenticity of a charity name and its URL before you donate. The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance makes it easy to verify charities using their online search tool. Complete donations on an organization’s official site, not through unsolicited links or attachments. It is also good practice to verify if a charity’s website is secure prior to donating by looking for an “s” after the “http” in the URL, along with a padlock icon. If you are considering donating to a GoFundMe campaign, be sure to research the organizer’s cause first.
 

Fake Online Stores

Scammers will create fake online stores that mirror the websites of reputable retailers. Logos, colors, products, site layout – at a glance, these fake websites will look the same as the ones they are imitating. You might even encounter social media ads promoting deeply discounted products on these fake websites. Don’t be deceived by looks and discounts. These fake websites aren’t selling anything. Rather, they’ll steal your money and the personal information you provide in the checkout path.

Safety tip: If a product discount seems too good to be true, it probably is. Use a credit card when shopping online and review your bank statement regularly. Always verify URL’s and review the ‘about us’ and return policy prior to making an online purchase. Misspellings, extra characters, off-brand images, and vague company information can all be signs of a fraudulent website. The difference is often in the details.
 

Holiday Travel Scams

Holiday travel scams target people booking last-minute trips or searching for deals. Scammers often create fake travel websites and post fraudulent ads offering discounted flights, hotels, or vacation packages. These offers may look legitimate but are designed to steal your money or personal information.

Safety tip: To stay safe, only book travel through trusted travel sites with reliable customer support. Be wary of unsolicited messages about your trip – whether by email, text, or phone. Verify any travel-related communication by directly contacting the travel provider using contact details found on their official website.
 

Fake Online Gift Exchanges

Fake online gift exchange scams often surface during the holidays, promising fun and generosity but delivering fraud. These scams typically start on social media, where participants are invited to join a “gift exchange” by sending a gift to someone, with the promise of receiving many in return. In reality, the scammer collects personal information or money, and participants receive nothing.

Safety tip: Do not participate in schemes that require you to send gifts to strangers, especially if they ask for your address or financial details.
 

Reporting Fraud and Seeking Help

At TowneBank, your online safety is a top priority—especially during the holiday season when scams are on the rise. We want you to enjoy this time with peace of mind, knowing we're here to help protect you from fraud. If you ever suspect a scam or believe you've fallen victim to one, please contact your banker or nearest branch immediately. We are here to support you, answer your questions, and help secure your accounts. Your trust means everything to us, and we're committed to keeping you safe.