Don't Let Scammers Ruin Your Holidays

I love seeing Denver's City and County building lit up for the holidays. Just looking at the lights makes me happy. It's true that holiday shopping can be a bit of a chore, but I love buying gifts for my friends and loved ones.

Holiday shopping is also a scammer's favorite time of year. That’s because consumers are more likely to shop on websites that lack security, buy without doing research, make purchases on websites that have sprung up overnight, use weak passwords, and click on social media sites offering 'good deals'.

The best defense against scammers is you. Staying web-safe means employing all the tips we've provided over the years. Don't let potential scammers take the fun out of the season. Have fun shopping for that perfect gift, but don't add a scammer to your gift-giving list. Read on for tips about staying scam-safe.

Happy Holidays from all of us at the Denver District Attorney's Office.

Beth

HOLIDAY GIFT SCAMS

Fake Texts from Amazon

Fake texts or message updates can be deceiving. Think before you click.

Gift Card Scams

No real business or government agency will ever insist you use a gift card to pay them.

Buying a Puppy Online?

The Better Business Bureau reports that 80% of sponsored pet advertisements may be fake. Research before you buy.

Credit or Debit Card?

When making a purchase, use a credit card instead of a debit card. Credit cards provide a level of safety that a debit card and cash can't.

Online "Deals"

Scammers often use words like "free" or "complimentary" to lure you to buying on their "site." Before buying, compare prices of an item on multiple sites.

Don't Buy a Product through a Social Media Account

Scammers can fake a company or product and post on a social media platform. If you click to buy, you may be gifted malware or you may have gifted a scammer with your personal information.

YEAR 'ROUND SHOPPING TIPS

If you are a frequent reader of ScamSpotter, you already

know these tips.

Keep your computer and smartphone operating systems and software up to date.

Before you “click here” double-check that an email, social media, or an offer via text is legitimate.

It is hard to tell if product reviews are fake. Research products by reading reviews on multiple sites.

A secure website will have an “s” after the http in the URL. If you provide personal information on an unsecured site, it can lead to identity theft.

Remember, if the deal sounds too good to be true, it very often is too good to be true.

Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication (MFA). While it is time-consuming to set up MFA, undoing identity theft takes much longer.

Don’t set up accounts on shopping sites, log in as a guest. Setting up an account provides scammers (and companies for that matter) more information about you than necessary. Keep your personal information to yourself.

Don't store your credit card on a company’s website. If the company gets hacked, your information goes with it.

Never click on a social media advertisement to buy something. Go directly to the website.

Before you buy from an unknown website, do an internet search with the name of the company plus the word 'scam' to make sure the company is legitimate.

Verify that an email, text, or phone call claiming that there is an issue with your shipment, or purchase is legitimate. Scammers can create emails and texts to look like a real delivery service. Call the company or go to the company’s website directly before clicking on any email or text.

Review electronic statements for credit and debit cards, and checking accounts. Look for any fraudulent charges. Fraudsters are pulling $1.00 out of bank accounts to test if the account is hackable.

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

Denver District Attorney's Office| 303.720.9000| 370 17th Ave.| Denver, CO 80202| DenverDA.org