Scam-Proof Your Holidays
The holidays are a time for celebration, reflection and memories—but also theft. Masked in the bustle of festive hubbub, predatory tactics increase against unassuming victims. Staying alert and vigilant is your best defense in preventing getting taken.
BE OUR GUEST
If creating an account is mandatory for checking out, use an alias email address for purchases instead of using your actual email. An email alias is an email address that you can use to receive email without exposing your primary email address. Consider your email like the gold that data brokers are mining for—it’s one of the most direct links to you outside of your physical address. Create an email mask via Firefox Relay in minutes. You can also set up an alternate Gmail, Apple Mail or DuckDuckGo account as an alias email (see Enhance Email Protection for instructions).
PAD YOUR WALLET
To limit financial risk, pay with an encrypted payment service like Paypal, Zelle, Apple Pay or Google Wallet. Using these types of payment methods instead of traditional credit cards creates a layer between your banking information and shopping sites, stopping card info from being stored or stolen.
GRINCH IT
Before responding to a stellar offer that requires you to “act now,” take a beat to think about how to provide the least amount of personal information. As your rule of thumb this festive time, try not to give away personal info in order to receive.
SOCIAL MEDIA ADS
Since 2021, one in four Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported fraud loss claims began with social media advertising. FTC data collected in 2023 points to online shopping as the driver of the largest percentage of social media scams (44%), and Instagram and Facebook being the biggest culprits for serving bad ads.
During this shopping season, be wary if an ad is offering ridiculous discounts. Stick with recognizable and familiar sellers. If the ad is credible, you can usually find the same offer on their main site without clicking through on a social media post or ad.
CHARITABLE DONATIONS
Nonprofits consider the holiday season as their last big chance for donations before closing their financial books for the year. Seasonal charitable solicitations, texts and calls are now as ubiquitous as grocery store Christmas jingles. If you plan to give to a cause, it’s best to go directly to their site. If it’s a new charity that popped up on your social media or in your inbox, verify them out on Charity Navigator for that extra peace of mind before you give.
As a pro tip, whenever giving to a nonprofit or cause, using an email mask via Firefox Relay or alternate privacy email service can come in handy. With nonprofits, your email address is more valuable than a donation. It’s a way for them to engage regularly and bring you into their community. Emails can be bought, sold and traded between brokers and institutions which ultimately affects the size of your personal information’s digital footprint. Masking your email creates an added barrier of protection between your identification and others.
GIFT CARDS & MISSING PACKAGES
Other hot scams to keep a lookout for include bad gift cards and fake messages from delivery services like DHL and USPS. When buying gift cards at a store, make sure the back of the card’s claim code hasn’t been exposed. The claim number typically is hidden and requires scratching off paint to reveal the card’s activation code. Thieves collect the claim numbers and access the balance of the card once someone legitimately buys it from the store.
Everyone’s received fake text messages or calls regarding undelivered packages or additional charges on pending deliveries. These can look very legit, but don’t be fooled. Keep track of your packages via the seller or by the tracking number provided at checkout. Delivery services will not call or text you in order to collect additional fees.
BREATHE FIRST
Good luck finding deep discounts and giving to good causes over the holidays, but take an extra minute to pause before reacting to an offer or a call to action. If something doesn’t pass the sniff test, it’s wisest to move on. Verify deals from direct sites and don’t rely on social media ads or promotions flooding your inbox. Have a safe and festive holiday!
