By Trish Svoboda/Image courtesy Canva
As the busy holiday season approaches, experts are warning consumers to be cautious of scams designed to steal money and personal information.
Diedra Porsché, National Head of Community and Business Development at JPMorganChase, said scammers often take advantage of the rush to find deals and make travel plans. One of the most common schemes right now involves unrealistic online deals, where fake websites or social media listings advertise deeply discounted or popular items. “The problem is the items don’t actually exist,” said Porché.
Travel scams are also on the rise. Scammers create fake versions of legitimate travel sites to trick people into entering login details or clicking links that install malware on their computers.
Another frequent issue is missing item scams, where victims receive fake delivery notifications by email or text, prompting them to click on malicious links. Impersonation scams are also common. Scammers pose as banks, businesses, or even government agencies, urging victims to take immediate action. “The goal is to get you to take quick action. They tell you something’s wrong with your account, or they need you to respond to an urgent matter.” Porché said to hang up the phone if you suspect a scam, and to contact a credible number that you’ve obtained on your own.
To avoid scams, she recommends shopping only on trusted websites, using secure payment methods like credit or debit cards that offer fraud protection., and double-checking URLs. “Make sure that the site is a legitimate site. You can always hover over that URL and see if it’s what you intended to search.”
If you believe you’ve been scammed, stop all contact, document everything, report it to your bank, and file a police report. “And most of all,” said Prosché, “share the information. Don’t be ashamed if you think you may have become a victim. It can happen to anyone and sharing that information may help protect someone else from becoming a victim this holiday season.”
More tips are available at chase.com/security.
