Holiday scammers are upping their game this year, according to experts at the AARP FraudWatch Network. Bad actors bombard people with emails, text messages and ads on social media that could infect your device and steal your personal information if you click on the link.
Liz Buser, senior adviser for AARP’s Fraud Prevention Programs team, warns against any deal that seems too good to be true.
“Please do not click on the link. Instead, go to a web browser and type in the address for the company that is supposedly offering the deal. Make sure that you’re going to legitimate websites. And you can navigate to them again,” she cautioned.
She added it’s probably a scam if you get an unsolicited communication – if the person seems to be playing on your emotions, if they urge you to act immediately, or if they ask for payment via gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency or a peer-to-peer payment app such as Venmo or Zelle. Also, be aware that the first few entries that pop up on search engines are often marked “sponsored,” which means they are really ads that may have been purchased by scammers.
Buser also warns people not to fall for calls or messages claiming to be a relative in trouble. She advises hanging up and calling back – because caller ID can be faked.
“AI technology, including voice-mimicking software, deep fake videos and chatbots like Chat GPT. They can all be used by bad actors, unfortunately. It gives scammers the ability to impersonate anybody. It could be your grandchild, a police officer, or even your spouse, and this is just the tip of the iceberg,” she explained.
Holiday travel can turn into a nightmare if you book through an illegitimate website, so don’t click on social-media travel links. If you suspect a scam, you can contact AARP.org/fraudwatch and report it to the Federal Trade Commission’s website, which is reportfraud@ftc.gov.
Fraud-prevention experts advise people to check for tampering or buy gift cards online directly from the company. (Kenishirotie/Adobe Stock)
