Each of these scams lands fraudsters on our naughty list!
Day 1: Watch out for fake charities.
Scammers take advantage of your generosity during the holiday season and create fake charities, GoFundMe campaigns, and other charitable activities. These charity scams can be incredibly hard to spot — until you’ve lost money or given up sensitive information. Warning signs of a holiday charity scam: Always check the URL and charity name before donating. Scammers often create “lookalike” charities that use variations of trusted names to fool you. Be cautious if you experience hard-sell tactics or vague language. Charities should never threaten you, and you should always be able to tell how your donations will be spent.
The bottom line: Research charities before you donate. You can check that a charity is legit by using the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance or Charity Navigator. For GoFundMe and similar campaigns, look into the organizer or group behind it before donating.
Day 2: Beware of Lookalike online stores offering big discounts.
With more people than ever before shopping online since the start of the pandemic, it’s important to know how to shop online safely.
Scammers create online stores with deeply discounted prices to trick you into buying from them. If you do, they’ll either steal your credit card number or force you to use payment methods that can’t be reversed (such as wire transfers, payment apps like Venmo, or gift cards).
Warning signs of a fake online store:
1. They advertise significant discounts (50% off or more) on all of their items. If an obscure online store offers the best available prices online, there’s a good chance it’s a scam.
2. The site contains signs of a phishing scam, such as poor spelling and grammar, bad quality images, and fake-sounding reviews.
3. It’s missing basic company information, such as an “About Us” page, contact information (like a phone number and address), or information about returns.
The bottom line: Stick to reputable online stores as much as possible at this time of year. If you still want to buy from a smaller retailer, do your research (a Google search of “[Company name] + scam” is a good start), and use a credit card for your purchase.
Day 3: Be cautious of communication you are not expecting.
If you receive an email from an unknown party, take a moment to carefully examine its contents for misspellings and grammatical errors, in addition to checking the spelling of the email address from which it was sent. If you do not have accounts or a previous business relationship with the sender, that’s a red flag that the email might be a phishing attempt! Do not click links from any unsolicited emails. Before giving out any information over the phone, ensure that you are speaking to a verified source by hanging up and calling them back at a trusted phone number. Beware: There are look-alike sites with fraudulent phone numbers on the web, so ensure that the website you use to confirm that a phone number is legitimate is an official website.
Day 4: Be wary of pending/special delivery messages.
‘Tis the season for increased “pending/special delivery” scams. With these scams, text messages tend to be the scammers’ preferred communication method. Many times, a message will request that you make a small payment to ensure that your package is delivered timely. Though the request is only for a small amount, what they are really after is your debit or credit card information. Never click links in unsolicited emails or text, and do not provide personal information to unknown individuals.
Day 5: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Any notice, call, or text message claiming you've "won" a sweepstakes, money, or gift card is more likely a scam than legitimate. Scammers will often request that you send payment for fees or taxes prior to them sending your prize. Be sure to verify the source, and when in doubt, do not attempt to collect.
Day 6: Avoid being duped into buying used gift cards.
Scrooges will scratch off the security strip covering the activation code on the back of a gift card offered for sale in a store so that they can register and use the card online without buying it — leaving someone else to unknowingly purchase a card that has already been stripped of its value. Make sure you check the activation code before purchasing any gift card, and never buy a gift card and then send its information over email or text to someone you don’t know (or who is only claiming to be someone you know) from work or your personal circle.
Day 7: Don’t give the Grinch your digits.
There's nothing worse than having presents stolen by the Grinch … except when it’s your identification that he steals! Imposters are looking to use your personal information — such as your name, address, mother's maiden name, or Social Security number — to commit fraud. Never provide your personal information or financial information during a call you did not initiate. Avoid carrying your Social Security card, and do not have the number printed on your checks, driver's license, or other financial documents. Never respond to an email or "pop-up" message on your computer claiming there’s some problem with your credit card, internet, or account. Lastly, password-protect all your financial information whenever the option is available.
Day 8: Social ads promoting fraudulent items
Holiday scammers create ads on social media sites like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok that link to fake stores or listings. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), many of these ads promote personalized items, which may seem like the perfect gift for someone who “has it all”
At best, you’ll end up with a phony or counterfeit item. At worst, your money or identity could be stolen.
Warning signs of a fake social media ad:
1. The link takes you to an online store that shows signs of being a scam. Be especially careful if it doesn’t include contact information (other than an online form).
2. The account that posted the ad has a low follower count and looks like it could be a scam.
3. The ad promotes a too-good-to-be true deal on in-demand or luxury products. Retailers rarely offer deep discounts this time of year.
The bottom line: Check ads and the sites they link to for signs of a scam. Don’t assume a site or store is legitimate just because you saw it on social media. Instead, always look for warning signs indicating that you’ve been taken to a fake or malicious online store
Day 9: Be alert to spoofed-number imposters.
Imposters impersonate financial institutions' call centers by spoofing their phone number to make it look like they are calling from their bank. They may claim they are calling to verify a fraud alert on your account or need to approve a "pending" charge, and that is why you can't see it on your account currently. They will ask you to provide your online banking user ID and password, card information, or for the one-time password. Remember: FNBT will never call to ask for this information! If you are ever asked to supply this information over the phone, immediately hang up. If you did share any information, call FNBT immediately to report the situation.
Day 10: Beware of mobile payment scams.
Instead of gifts, imposters will pull out tricks from Santa's bag this year! Make sure, when sending money using your mobile phone, that you send only to individuals and businesses you know and trust. Person-to-person (P2P) transfers should never be used to purchase goods and services but only as a personal payment method for transferring funds to family and friends.
Day 11: Say no to remote access.
Be cautious when giving anyone remote access into any of your devices, including your phone or computer. Only allow remote access to a person you contacted at a verified phone number, and never provide a one-time passcode (OTP) to anyone.
Day 12: Verify your contact info with FNBT.
It only takes a few minutes to verify that your email, phone number, full name, and address are correct in our system. Doing so will ensure that we can verify your identity and send important communications related to your account or activity. To update your personal information, call 850-796-2000 or visit us in person at one of our branch locations (don't forget to bring your ID!).
Your financial well-being is always our top priority! Here at FNBT, we are passionate about ensuring that your accounts and
personal information are safe and secure, giving you peace of mind this holiday season. If you have any questions or concerns,
please contact us at 850-796-2000, email us at Question@fnbt.com, or visit us in person at one of our branch locations.
From all of us at FNBT, we hope the information provided in our “12 Days of Fraud Prevention” helps to make your holiday season a safe and happy one!