{"id":1424,"date":"2025-12-11T02:10:42","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T02:10:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ginogravina.com\/?p=1424"},"modified":"2025-12-11T02:10:42","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T02:10:42","slug":"holiday-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ginogravina.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/11\/holiday-scams\/","title":{"rendered":"Holiday Scams"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
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Getting ready for the holidays means shopping for great online deals or finding the perfect gift for a special someone. It\u2019s also prime time for fraudsters to take advantage of people!<\/p>\n

Use our resources and support tools to protect yourself against common scams that occur around the holidays. Continue reading for ways to spot and prevent fraud so you can enjoy the holidays while preventing\u00a0added\u00a0stress.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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More online shopping leads to more\u00a0online\u00a0scams<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fraudsters use the holidays to their advantage. Here are some common scams to watch\u00a0out\u00a0for:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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\"Alert<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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Buy and sell scams<\/strong>
\nListings that seem too good to be true usually are! Always pause and verify the site and seller before purchasing, no matter the payment method. Wire transfers, prepaid cards and cryptocurrency are hard to reverse so take your time\u00a0before\u00a0proceeding.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\"Alert<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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Fake shipping and delivery notices<\/strong>
\nThese emails include links that will either download malware or ask for your personal and banking information. Fake \u201cmissed delivery\u201d notifications on your door with a phone number to call can lead to a fraudster getting your personal and\u00a0banking\u00a0information.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\"Alert<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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Fake retailers<\/strong>
\nSome of these fake retailers will ask you to input credit card information before you initiate the purchase transaction. Always double-check links before clicking and verify the site before sharing any\u00a0payment\u00a0information.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\"Alert<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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Social media ads<\/strong>
\nFraudsters who promote merchandise or holiday deals put you at risk of receiving counterfeit items\u2014or sometimes nothing\u00a0at\u00a0all.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Signs of a holiday\u00a0purchase\u00a0scam<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\u2022<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

Unsolicited emails or websites with grammatical errors, blurry logos or\u00a0imperfect\u00a0branding.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\u2022<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

You’re pressured to spend money quickly to take advantage of a holiday sale\u00a0or\u00a0offer.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\u2022<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

You receive or purchase a gift card with the security code exposed on\u00a0the\u00a0back.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\u2022<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

You’re asked to pay through methods that are difficult to reverse like wire transfers or\u00a0prepaid\u00a0cards.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\u2022<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

The site you’re purchasing from isn’t secure; the closed padlock symbol is missing from the\u00a0web\u00a0address.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Tips to avoid\u00a0holiday\u00a0scams<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fraudsters use convincing offers, messages and payment requests to target holiday shoppers. Stay alert for tactics that trick you into sharing personal information or\u00a0losing\u00a0money.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\"Screen<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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Don\u2019t open attachments or click links in emails or texts from unknown senders, especially for deliveries or offers you\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0request.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\"Dollar<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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If a deal or price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Delete suspicious messages and double-check\u00a0before\u00a0acting.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\"Cart<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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Only buy from secure websites (look for a closed padlock in the web address) and use your credit card for online purchases. When using online marketplaces or classifieds, compare prices with similar listings to spot unrealistic deals, research the seller or buyer, check their profile and look for reviews\u00a0or\u00a0history.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\"Phone<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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When selling items, confirm that the payment is legitimate before handing over your goods. If paid by cheque, wait until the full amount is available in your account\u2014especially if the amount is more than agreed like in an overpayment scam. Avoid payment methods that are difficult to reverse, such as wire transfers, prepaid cards, or cryptocurrency, as these are harder to trace and often used\u00a0by\u00a0fraudsters.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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\"Credit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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When buying items, make sure you\u2019re using secure and traceable payment methods, such as a credit card or trusted payment service. Be cautious if a seller requests payment using hard-to-trace methods like wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or prepaid cards, as these are often used by fraudsters. Avoid paying in advance for items you haven\u2019t seen, and, if possible, meet the seller in a safe, public place to complete\u00a0the\u00a0transaction.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Getting ready for the holidays means shopping for great online deals or finding the perfect gift for a special someone. It\u2019s also prime time for fraudsters to take advantage of people! Use our resources and support tools to protect yourself against common scams that occur around the holidays. Continue reading for ways to spot and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1424","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ginogravina.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1424","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ginogravina.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ginogravina.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ginogravina.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ginogravina.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1424"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ginogravina.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1424\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1426,"href":"https:\/\/ginogravina.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1424\/revisions\/1426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ginogravina.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ginogravina.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ginogravina.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}