Unfortunately, crime tends to spike around the holidays every year. Some people commit crimes out of desperation. Others see the holidays as a time to prey on people’s good nature and generosity. Whether you’re out holiday shopping or just surfing social media, don’t let yourself become a victim!
In this blog, we’ve addressed five holiday scams to be on the lookout for this holiday season. If you hear about any other scams or swindles, please contact us with information about the scam, so that we can add it to our list.
5 Scams to Avoid this Holiday Season
1. The Secret Sister Gift Exchange
According to Fox2Now, the Secret Sister Gift Exchange is an illegal pyramid scheme that has been showing up in Facebook posts. You’re asked to send someone a $10 gift card, and are promised that others will send you gift cards in return. Variations of these pyramid scams tend to show up around the holidays, so be on the lookout!
2. The $100 Car Snatch
This is a newer scam that we’ve heard stories about over the last few years. You come back to your car from holiday shopping to find a $100 bill tucked under the windshield wiper. Naturally, you get out of the car to investigate and leave your keys in the ignition. This is the moment the con artist jumps in and drives away with your car.
3. Social Media Giveaways
If the ad on social media looks too good to be true, it probably is! There has been a trend of fake ads offering items at extremely discounted rates. The ads usually feature popular electronics, gaming systems, yeti coolers, and more. While you think you’ve just scored the deal of a lifetime, the item never arrives and no trace of the company that sold the item can be found.
4. Fake Holiday Charities
Don’t give money to any charity without doing your homework about the organization. Con artist take advantage of people’s good nature around the holidays. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the most common fake charities are those raising money for military families and fundraisers calling on behalf of police and firefighters.
5. The IRS Collection Scam
While this isn’t necessarily a holiday scam, a representative from the Better Business Bureau claims the IRS scam is the most common scam circulating around the United States right now. People across the country are getting calls from swindlers pretending to be collecting money as the IRS. Be on the lookout for this one!
Some Useful Tips for Avoiding Scams:
Don’t Let the Criminals Win this Holiday Season!
At Butler Durrell Security, we care about the St. Louis community, and think it’s important to educate people about safety and security issues pertaining to our city. Contact us if you’d like to learn more about our security systems, smart home solutions, and fire detection equipment.
