Keep the “Happy” in Your Holidays!
The holiday season is a special time filled with joy, generosity, and connection. You’re busy shopping for loved ones, planning gatherings, and perhaps donating to a worthy cause. However, where there’s generosity, unfortunately, there are also scammers looking to take advantage.
As an active senior, your giving spirit and busy schedule make you a prime target for Holiday Scams. With more online shopping and increased charitable giving, fraudsters see an opportunity. But with a little knowledge and a dash of holiday smarts, you can easily spot the red flags and keep your finances safe.
This article is your personal guide to a scam-free, joyful season. I’m highlighting the most common schemes so you can stay confident, informed, and safe while focusing on what truly matters: making wonderful holiday memories!
Online Shopping Scams: Shop Smarter, Not Harder
The convenience of shopping from your favorite armchair is one of the best parts of the season! Unfortunately, scammers are setting up sophisticated traps online. They create fake websites that look exactly like legitimate retailers, luring you in with tempting “too-good-to-be-true” discounts on sought-after items.
Quick Tips for Safe Online Shopping:
- Look for the Lock: Always check that the website’s address begins with “https” (the “s” stands for secure) and has a small padlock icon in the browser bar.
- Investigate Before You Click: Before giving up your credit card, quickly search for the store’s name plus “reviews” or “scam.” Legitimate businesses have clear contact information, including a physical address.
- Credit Card is King: Use a credit card instead of a debit card. Credit cards offer stronger fraud protection and make it much easier to get your money back if a scammer strikes!
- Type, Don’t Click: Don’t click on links in unsolicited emails or social media ads. Type the retailer’s official website address directly into your browser.
Card Declined Scam
NEW Warning: The “Card Declined” Trick
Scammers running fake shopping sites have a sneaky trick to steal more of your financial information: the “Card Declined” message.
If you enter your payment details and receive an immediate message saying your card was declined, even if you know you have funds or credit, DO NOT immediately try a second or third card.
This message is often fake. The scammer has already captured the first card’s details and is prompting you to enter more, hoping to steal multiple cards’ worth of sensitive information.
Your Action Plan:
- STOP: When you see a “Card Declined” message, pause the transaction.
- CHECK: Check the website’s URL (is it still “https”?) and research the retailer immediately.
- CALL: If you are unsure, call your bank or credit card company using the number on the back of your physical card to see if there was a real decline reason before proceeding on the website.
Package Delivery Scams: Don’t Panic Over a Phony Parcel
With all those great gifts you’ve ordered, you’ll be expecting delivery updates. Scammers know this and send fake text messages (smishing) or emails (phishing) pretending to be from trusted carriers like FedEx, UPS, or USPS. The message usually says there’s an urgent issue, a missed delivery, an unpaid fee, or a need to reschedule, and includes a link.
Your Best Defense Against Delivery Scams:
- Never Click the Link: That link is a trick to steal your information or install malicious software. Ignore the link completely!!!
- Verify Directly: If you’re concerned about a package, go directly to the official company website (e.g., UPS.com) and enter your tracking number there. You’ll never need to pay a surprise fee or click an urgent link to receive a real package.
- Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Texts: If you weren’t expecting a package, any message claiming a delivery problem is almost certainly a Holiday Scam.
The Grandparent Scam: Protect Your Family, Protect Your Wallet
This is one of the most heartbreaking Holiday Scams, designed to prey on a senior’s love and concern for family. A scammer calls, often late at night, and pretends to be a grandchild, niece, or nephew. They claim to be in urgent trouble, perhaps arrested, in an accident, or stuck in a foreign country, and desperately need money wired or sent via gift cards immediately.
How to Avoid the Grandparent Trap:
- Ask a Private Question: The caller will beg you to “keep it a secret.” DO NOT agree!!! Ask a personal question only your real grandchild would know (e.g., “What was the name of your first pet?”).
- Hang Up and Verify: Hang up immediately and call your grandchild or their parents on a known, trusted phone number. Verify the emergency before you ever send a penny.
- Keep it Local: If anyone demands you send money via wire transfer or gift cards, it is a scam, full stop.
I have an entire article on this topic. You can check it out here:
Gift Card Scams: Never Pay a Debt with a Card
Gift cards are a great present, but they are also a scammer’s favorite form of anonymous, untraceable payment. They are often used in combination with other scams (like the Grandparent Scam or Imposter Scams). A scammer might call, pretending to be from the IRS, Medicare, a utility company, or even a tech company, demanding immediate payment with gift cards to avoid arrest or a service shut-off.
Gift Card Safety Rule:
- NO Legitimate Authority or Business (IRS, police, banks, utility companies) will EVER ask you to pay a debt, fine, or fee using a gift card, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer. If they ask for a gift card, it’s a scam. Hang up!
- Buy from Trusted Stores: Only purchase gift cards directly from well-known, reputable retailers.
Charity Scams: Giving Safely This Season
The holidays bring out the best in us, and seniors are often eager to support causes they care about. Scammers capitalize on this kindness by impersonating real charities or inventing fake ones. They often use high-pressure tactics, emotional pleas, and urgent deadlines.
The Smart Donor Checklist:
- Research is Key: Before donating, check the charity’s registration and reputation on trusted sites like Charity Navigator or the BBB Wise Giving Alliance.
- Watch for Pressure: A genuine charity will appreciate your donation whenever you can give it; they will not pressure you for an immediate donation or demand cash.
- Keep it Secure: Donate directly through the charity’s official, secured website or by writing a check. Never give your credit card number or bank information over the phone to an unsolicited caller.
Tech Support Scams: Don’t Give Up Control
This scam can happen year-round but spikes when people get new computers or phones for the holidays. You may get a call or a sudden pop-up warning on your computer claiming it is infected with a serious virus. The caller, pretending to be from a well-known company like Microsoft or Apple, will insist you allow them remote access to your device to fix the problem, or they’ll demand payment for unnecessary “security software.”
How to Stay Safe from Tech Traps:
- Hang Up: Microsoft, Apple, and other major tech companies will not call you out of the blue to tell you your computer is broken. Hang up immediately.
- Ignore the Pop-up: Never call a number from a sudden pop-up window. Close the browser and run a quick scan with your legitimate antivirus software.
- Never Grant Remote Access: Giving a stranger remote access to your device is like giving them the keys to your entire life, they can steal your passwords, bank information, and files.
I have an entire article dedicated to this. You can access it here:
Final Thoughts
This holiday season, the most important gift you can give yourself is peace of mind. By staying vigilant and following a few simple rules, you can ensure your holidays are filled with joy, not worry.
- Pause and Ponder: Scammers rely on urgency. If a request is urgent, requires secrecy, or demands an unusual payment method (gift card, wire transfer, crypto), take a deep breath and PAUSE!!!
- Talk to a Trusted Advisor: Before making a large purchase, donation, or investment decision, always consult a family member, trusted friend, or financial advisor. Two sets of eyes are better than one!
- Review Your Statements: Regularly check your credit card and bank statements for any suspicious charges. The sooner you report a fraudulent charge, the better your chances of recovering the money.
- Knowledge is Power: Continue to educate yourself! Share this information with friends and family to create a community of savvy, scam-aware seniors this holiday season!