San Antonio – The holiday season is full of the giving spirit and people looking for a good deal. Thieves often take advantage of that by stepping in with scams.
San Antonio police Sgt. Washington Moscoso says people must stay vigilant at all times, whether in person, over texts, emails, or on social media.
“Every year that happens and we take those reports and unfortunately, a lot of times those crimes are happening not in San Antonio — they’re online. And so, it’s difficult to actually apprehend and prosecute the offender,” he said.
Here are a few of the most common holiday scams:
- Watch out for a message about a package delivery attempt or a link to track a package.
- Many people are expecting deliveries, but be wary of generic texts with links. Clicking the link could infect your phone or computer with malware that enables criminals to steal your passwords and personal information.
- Fake ads on social media often offer deals that seem too good to be true.
- These phishing scams frequently feature websites from unknown companies advertising great products. Those products — or the websites themselves — might be fake.
- To avoid falling victim, shop from reputable companies and websites, or call the store directly to confirm an online deal is legitimate.
- Beware of fake charities and organizations tugging at your heartstrings to solicit donations.
- Moscoso recommends researching organizations before donating or sticking to well-known organizations that have been vetted.
- Seasonal job scams can also cause financial loss. One common scheme involves the “secret shopper” scam.
- The victim receives a check for a large sum and is instructed to cash it.
- The victim is told to use a portion of the funds to purchase gift cards and return them to the scammer. Only later does the victim realize the check has bounced.
- Thieves also use fear to trick victims into handing over their personal information.
- Watch for texts, emails, or phone calls claiming to be from your bank or law enforcement.
- These impostors aim to scare victims into transferring money or sharing sensitive information.
- Instead, Moscoso advises calling your bank or the agency directly to verify the communication.
For more tips, visit the Federal Communications Commission’s website or check out the FBI’s list of common scams and how to avoid them.