12 DAYS OF SCAMMING
'Tis the season to go shop and now, because of COVID-19, more people are shopping online than ever before. Consumers aren't the only ones shopping for the holidays; scammers are shopping as well... for victims. Scientists refer to this period of time as holiday euphoria: the closer consumers get to buying deadlines the more distracted they get and more likely they are to follow the necessary precautions to stay scam free. This behavior leads to a higher propensity to shop for great deals on sites that have no security, buy without doing research, make purchases on sites that have sprung up overnight, use weak passwords, sign up for "good deal alerts" (which are designed to collect your personal data) and on and on. The best defense against scammers, is you. Staying web-safe means employing all the tips we've provided over the years.
If you need a reminder of safe online buying click here for tips.
Don't let potential scammers take the fun out of the season. Have fun shopping for that perfect gift, but make sure you don't add a scammer to your gift-giving list.
Happy Holidays from all of us at the Denver District Attorney's Office. And have a safe and healthy 2022!
Beth
DON'T LET A HO-HO-HOAX SPOIL YOUR HOLIDAYS.
Scammers work throughout the year to understand consumer habits so they will more easily be able to separate you from your money. Read more about how some folks have gotten scammed by clicking the headline under the photo.

Fake texts or message updates can look like these. Many of the texts have attachments or links to sites that will download malware on to your computer or phone to steal your identity and passwords. Remember, company logos are easy to copy and paste in to a website or text.


 No real business or government agency will ever insist you pay them with a gift card. Anyone who demands to be paid with a gift card is a scammer. 

The BBB reports that 80% of sponsored pet advertisements may be fake.

Before you buy, search for product reviews on the web. Do your research. 81% of those who did not research or look at independent reviews of the company or product lost money.

Just because a website looks good doesn’t mean it’s real. Websites are easy to create, and scammers often use a name similar to a real business.

If you find the latest iPad listed at an 80% discount, chances are you will never see the goods you purchased or the money you spent.

Here are ten reasons why you should use a credit card versus a debit card. Those who paid with a credit card or PayPal were less likely to lose money.

 BBB Scam Tracker has received thousands of complaints about misleading Facebook and Instagram ads.

If you have not changed your passwords recently or are using the same password for all your accounts, start the New Year off right by changing all of them.







Do you suspect you've been scammed or exploited? Report it to us by calling our Fraud Hotline.

Contact
The Denver DA's
FRAUD HOTLINE
720.913.9179

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM FRAUD AND SCAMS


We offer FREE virtual presentations on how to protect yourself from fraud and scams. Call to schedule "Stand Up Against Fraud" to learn about scams happening in our area.
Contact:
Maro Casparian| amc@denverda.org|
720-913-9036