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Excitement is in the air as the holiday season draws nearer; however, despite this festive spirit, we must remain vigilant of common winter scams. Scammers use holiday festivities as an opportunity to adapt their tactics to prey on unsuspecting targets.
What’s more, scams seem to grow more sophisticated with every winter. As digital banking solutions develop and become more accessible, the number of financial scams to look out for increases. So, it’s important to be careful when using eWallets and digital asset exchanges.
Secure crypto exchange platforms, like reliable alternatives to Coinbase, offer customers robust security features and protection against fraud so they can feel safe this winter. According to cryptocurrency expert Milan Novakovic, Coinbase lacks automation tools, for example, while alternative exchanges like Exodus have fee-free built-in trading tools that help navigate the market more easily.
This winter, look out for charity scams. During the holiday season, it’s common for scammers to impersonate charities and attempt to solicit phony donations via emails, texts, or phone calls.
These scammers are generally just trying to get their hands on however much you are willing to donate; although more nefarious scammers may also be attempting to steal sensitive financial information like your credit card number and bank details. To avoid falling victim to these scams, be proactive and research charities you want to support before you donate to them. Additionally, only make donations on a charity’s official website or through trusted platforms.
Another common winter scam to look out for is travel and vacation rental scams. Many scammers impersonate legitimate property listings and request non-trackable payments from unsuspecting victims.
To avoid falling for this nasty trick, make it a point to only use reputable booking platforms that utilize trusted and secure payment websites through their official website. To be extra cautious, you should always read reviews to confirm the legitimacy of vacation rental services.
Watch out for vicious online shopping scams. These scams exploit the gift-giving nature of the festive season as fraudsters imitate legitimate retailers. They lure shoppers to these fake websites via email or text messages. To protect yourself, only shop online with retailers you know, and never click on a link you are unfamiliar with. Whenever possible, pay with a credit card, as it offers greater protection against fraud.
Additionally, gift card scams are becoming increasingly popular. They steal the card’s activation code and then drain all the loaded funds out of it once it has been purchased. To avoid this, always inspect a physical gift card for signs of tampering or only purchase digital gift cards directly from reputable vendors.
Lastly, watch out for phishing scams this holiday season, which are commonly seen through “exclusive deals” or shipping notifications. Phishing scams are emails or texts that are designed to look legitimate, but in reality, they infect your device with malware or trick victims into sharing sensitive information. To protect yourself from phishing scams, regularly update your device and arm yourself with robust security software. If a deal seems too good to be true, it’s probably a phishing scam.
