Every December, as travel plans and gift-buying pick up, a rush also follows online, with scams designed to cash-in before the year’s end. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other consumer protection groups are sounding the alarm about new scams, including fraudulent rental listings and charities that copy the names of real organizations. Check out these tips from our friends at Aura.
Travel and booking scams
Scammers know many travelers book quickly to lock in deals. Look-alike booking sites are common this season. These are fake domains that replace a few letters in an airline or hotel site URL and capture full payments with no actual reservation. Others pose as rental car agencies, asking for prepaid deposits or insurance fees before disappearing.
Book only through verified airline or hotel sites and confirm reservations directly using official contact numbers before traveling. Use a credit card that offers chargeback protection.
Online gifting scams
Seasonal gift exchange posts—send one gift, receive many—continue to make rounds on Facebook and Instagram. The BBB classifies these as pyramid schemes that collect personal information along the way. Free gift card offers are also back, dangling rewards from big retailers in exchange for clicking on or sharing a link that installs malware.
Shoppers should also be cautious with social media ads for popular products. Deep-discount ads can be tempting but are rarely worth compromising on quality or safety. Be skeptical of ads that guarantee returns or ask for personal details. Research the company name plus “reviews” before interacting with any link or seller, and in general, it’s always better to type in the retailer’s website vs clicking a link that may or may not be from a reputable retailer.
Donation and adoption scams
Fake charities pop up each December, using names similar to legitimate nonprofits. Two trusted sources for verifying organizations before you donate are CharityNavigator.org and Give.org.
Pet adoption scams are also relentless around the holidays. These advertise low-cost puppies that require upfront shipping payments—no pet ever arrives. Whenever you can, go see your future pet in person and avoid using gift cards or wire transfers for payment.
Special Aura Offer for Consumer Cellular Customers
Aura monitors identity, credit and devices in real-time, blocks malicious links before you click, and flags fake sites. We’ve partnered with Aura this year to help keep your holiday shopping and donations safe from fraud.
Aura protection plans for Consumer Cellular customers start at just $9/month, with annual savings up to 75% off when you sign up today. Call Aura at (877) 338-0352 or visit their website to learn more.