Holiday Scams

Around the holidays, scams become more commonplace. Shopping, sending and receiving packages, and traveling make us vulnerable to thieves who can turn the yuletide season from fun to frustrating. Here are a few tips to keep your money and personal information safe.

Tips for Safe Internet Shopping

When we’re searching online for the perfect gift at the right price, it can be easy to let our guards down for hackers. Here are a few tips to protect your accounts and your identity as you shop online:

• Stick to trusted websites. Look for “https,” rather than “http,” in the website address.
• Don’t use public WIFI for online shopping. Shop from a secure computer using a secure connection.
• Shop with a credit card, rather than a debit card, to keep your bank accounts safe.
• When setting up accounts on retailer websites, use a different username and password for each site.
• If purchasing gift cards, buy them from a reputable vendor, rather than an auction site, and confirm that the card details are fully hidden, and there is no damage to the card.
• Turn on real-time purchase alerts to monitor activity on your credit card. If you have a 1^st Colonial debit card, take advantage of our fraud alert feature.
• Check your bank account(s) and credit card account(s) periodically for suspicious activity.
• If you suspect that your credit card or bank account has been compromised, contact the issuing bank immediately.

Holiday Shipping and Shopping Scams

There are a variety of shopping and shipping scams designed to take advantage of the holiday season. Here are a few commons scams and warning signs:

• Social media ads that lead you to fake online stores, which then steal your money, credit card details, or other personal information
• Fake delivery notification texts or emails claiming that a package you’re waiting for has been delayed or that you need to pay a fee before it can be delivered
• Hot-ticket items listed at a significant discount, often accompanied by fake sob stories about why they need to be sold
• Requests to pay using Zelle, Cash App, or another similar app, which are treated like cash and cannot be refunded

Holiday Travel Scams

Whether you’re searching online for discounted airline tickets or sightseeing at a crowded tourist attraction, holiday travel offers another opportunity for thieves to steal your money and personal information. Beware of these common travel scams:

• Deeply discounted airline tickets. Websites and marketplace sellers offer tickets at deep discounts, only to contact you later with a demand for extra fees.
• Fake flight cancellation emails. Scammers impersonate airline officials, send fake flight cancellation emails, and request payment information to allow you to book a new flight.
• Digital pickpocketing. Scammers tap a mobile point-of-sale device against the wallet of a tourist to initiate a payment. This is most easily done in crowded areas.

Beware of Scams Targeting the Elderly

Fraudsters can “spoof,” or disguise their true phone number and make it appear to come from a from Medicare, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), or the Social Security Administration, for example. They may tell you your Social Security or Medicare benefits will be terminated if you don’t provide your bank account or credit card number, or they may say you have unpaid taxes and need to pay immediately. They will then use the information you provide to steal your funds.

Another common scam, aimed at grandparents, involves calling and impersonating the target’s grandchild or another close relative. The fake relative claims to be in a crisis situation, such as an accident or arrest, and asks for financial help right away. Artificial intelligence has made these scams even more convincing, since thieves can create video or audio featuring the victim’s loved one.

Please remember that if a call or email sounds urgent, threatening, or too good to be true, it's probably a scam. Don’t panic. Talk with someone that you trust. Take some time and do some research before moving, spending, or sending any funds as a result of an unexpected request. Hang up on unsolicited calls and don’t respond to unsolicited emails.

Whether you’re traveling across the country or just using your laptop in the living room, remaining vigilant, staying aware of common fraud tactics, and monitoring your accounts for suspicious activity will help prevent you from becoming a victim of fraud during the holiday season.

If you suspect that your 1st Colonial debit card, credit card, or bank account has been compromised, please contact us immediately at 1-877-785-8550. Thank you.