’Tis the season of shopping — and scams

Imagine you’ve got the perfect holiday gift idea for your kiddo, but it’s sold out in stores. Luckily, you found a seller online who can ship the gift for a low price! They send you a link to their digital payment account so you can pay for the gift in advance. After all, the item is popular, and you want to get it before someone else does.

Spoiler: The gift never arrives. When you ask the seller about it, they ghost you. Now you’re out $100 and still don’t have anything to wrap.

More than 2 in 5 holiday shoppers (42%) plan to shop online this season, according to Bankrate’s 2024 Early Holiday Shopping Survey.

Further, more than half of Americans (54%) say they made at least one impulse purchase last holiday season, according to Bankrate’s 2024 Holiday Spending Report.

But just like online shopping and advertising are up during the holidays, so are scams. I asked Chip Kohlweiler, senior vice president of security at Navy Federal Credit Union, about the most common online scams he sees.

As a cybersecurity expert, he also gave me a few tips for avoiding scams this season.

6 common online scams to watch for during the holidays

Whether you’re ordering gifts, recovering from weather events or getting end-of-year communications from your bank, you may be vulnerable to online scams.

Keep an eye out for these frauds as you scroll.

1. Puppy scams

Getting a new puppy can be an exciting, emotional time. And that’s when scammers want to catch you.

“The number one way that people get tricked out of sending their money is puppy scams,” Kohlweiler says.

Puppy scams look like an online listing with photos of a litter or specific breed, posted by someone claiming to be a breeder. The price might be lower than usual, and they’ll ask for a deposit or the full payment upfront. Be alert if the “breeder” refuses a phone or video call and prefers to communicate by email or direct message.

“One of the reasons why it’s a really good price is because you’re not actually going to get your dog, but they want a $1,000 deposit,” Kohlweiler explains.

Once you send the money, you probably won’t hear back from the “breeder” — and there definitely won’t be a puppy under the tree this year.

2. Toy scams

The Better Business Bureau warns against websites or personal sellers offering discounts on popular toys that are sold out in stores. When customers make a purchase from the site, they either receive a cheap counterfeit product or nothing at all.

As Kohlweiler advises, “Around the holiday shopping (season) — it’s a cliche — but if a deal is too good to be true, it probably is.”

Scams have also gotten more sophisticated in recent years. If you click a link from a social media ad or pop-up, it may take you to a fraudulent website. But Kohlweiler says, with generative AI, scam sites are harder to spot. He advises going directly to a website to shop, instead of following a link or search result.

3. Facebook Marketplace scams

If you’ve ever bought or sold something on Facebook Marketplace, chances are you’ve dealt with at least one scammer. Sometimes it’s obvious, but other times, it may take a few messages — or a mistake — before you catch on.

Some scammers list items, cars or rental property and ask for payment via payment app or gift card before virtually disappearing. And they may have a convincing background story. Kohlweiler offers the following story as an example:

Facebook Marketplace scam example

The seller’s son just went off to college and they’re cleaning out his baseball card collection, offering a good deal on baseball cards. It might sound like a bargain if your own child is asking for baseball cards for Christmas.

The seller’s son just went off to college and they’re cleaning out his baseball card collection, offering a good deal on baseball cards. It might sound like a bargain if your own child is asking for baseball cards for Christmas.

But remember, “You don’t really know this person,” Kohlweiler says. He notes that sending payment ahead of time is like mailing cash in an envelope — unusual and risky.

Other scammers pretend to buy something from you but ask for your phone number and two-factor authentication so they can impersonate you. Or, they might pretend to overpay you and ask for a refund.

If you’re buying or selling on Facebook Marketplace this season, be on high alert. Don’t message people outside of Facebook Messenger. And only give or accept money in person, at the same time as the item is being handed off.

4. Package delivery scams

As packages fly around the world during the holiday season, you may be expecting a few on your doorstep. But if you get a text from someone claiming to be the U.S. Postal Service or another carrier, don’t click on any links.

Package delivery scams usually come as a text or email that says one of your packages has failed to be delivered or additional information from you is needed. But they’re trying to get your personal information.

If you want to check on a package, visit the carrier’s website directly or give them a call to get your tracking info.

5. Natural disaster scams

Unfortunately, scammers come out of the woodwork after natural disasters. Kohlweiler recently spent an afternoon helping a credit union member who fell victim to a car buying scam. The member was trying to buy a car after his was lost in a recent hurricane.

While natural disasters happen year round, things like storms and hail are more common during the winter and may cause damage to your home, car or property.

Don’t get scammed by offers of financial assistance — they may want your personal information — or when paying for repairs or replacement — they may not complete the job or deliver what’s promised.

6. Bank impersonation scams

The number one scam that Kohlweiler sees among Navy Federal members is fraudsters pretending to be Navy Federal. It often starts with a text message. Kohlweiler gives the following example:

You get a text saying it’s your bank to confirm whether you’re trying to transfer money to someone else. “Press 1 for yes, 2 for no,” they say. You press 2. The text confirms your response and says they’ve blocked the transfer. They just need to give you a call for a one-time code. They call you, capture a voice recording and ask for your code. Now, they have two forms of your two-factor authentication.

“The bad guys are using your information and (two-factor authentication) to try and circumvent those controls,” Kohlweiler explains.

Bank impersonation scams can come in the form of a text (smishing) or email (phishing). Don’t respond to these messages. Instead, call your institution directly to ask about or report the situation.

How to spot scams and keep your money safe this holiday season

If you’re shopping online this season, here are a few rules of thumb to avoid getting scammed:

If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Be wary of sales or limited-time offers on popular items. Scammers try to create a sense of urgency so that you’ll act quickly. Instead, take the time to investigate whether it’s a reputable site or seller.

Go straight to the source. Avoid clicking links from an ad, a text or an email from a retailer or banking institution. Instead, visit their website or app directly or give them a call. Scammers have gotten better at replicating messages from trusted sources, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Trust your gut. If something feels off, why risk it? You want to do business with someone you trust. If the communication with the site or seller feels unusual in any way, opt to make your purchase elsewhere.

Check with someone else. If you’re not sure whether you’re being scammed, ask a trusted person who’s not as emotionally invested in the decision as you. Kohlweiler encourages his dad to give him a call if he ever feels suspicious about a purchase.

Know how to handle credit card fraud. If a scammer gains access to your credit card information and makes unauthorized purchases, you have rights when facing credit card fraud. Many cards offer zero-liability fraud protection, and the Fair Credit Billing Act allows you to dispute credit card errors.

The bottom line

Glad tidings bring scammers out of hiding, so it’s good to know about common scams and how to spot them. Try purchasing holiday gifts from trusted retailers or sellers. And avoid clicking on links from unknown senders — instead, visit the website or app directly.