Don't Let Scammers Steal Your Joy This Season
The holiday season is fast approaching, bringing with it a flurry of online shopping for gifts, special deals, and seasonal necessities. While shopping online can be both convenient and budget-friendly, it’s also a time when scammers are especially active, looking to take advantage of unsuspecting shoppers.
At Frontier Bank, your security is our top priority. As you prepare for the holiday season, we want to remind you to stay vigilant against common scams and fraudulent activity. During this season of giving, it's important to protect your sensitive information and money. Here are some common types of scams to watch out for this holiday season:
Phishing Scams
Online shopping makes it easy to complete the gifting checklist, but also presents more opportunities for fake deals, counterfeit websites, and prices that are a “little too-good-to-be-true.” Be wary of clicking on links from social media ads or buying from websites without “https” in the URL.
Charity Scams
Fraudsters want to capitalize on people’s generosity during the holiday season by creating fake charities and organizations. Counterfeit charities may play on people’s emotions, pressure them to donate, ask for forms of payment like crypto or gift cards, and are vague about where exactly the money is going. Research the legitimacy of charities on websites like BBB Wise Giving Alliance and Charity Navigator before donating.
Delivery Scams
Online shopping means the anticipation of package deliveries and receiving delivery status updates. Scammers may send phony emails with fake delivery updates, pretending to be FedEx, Amazon and UPS and attempt to get you to share personal information. Keep in mind – these companies won’t send unsolicited messages asking for personal or payment information.
Travel Scams
Fake travel agencies may advertise discounts on airfare, luring people who travel during the holiday season. These scams are especially malicious because of sensitive information needed for legitimate travel like your address and credit or debit information. Double check URLs and be wary if your login information isn’t working on travel websites.
Remember, we're here to help you stay safe this season and beyond. If you ever have any concerns or questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Wishing you a secure and joyful holiday season!
These tips are provided by the Iowa Bankers Association