Scams to Watch for in 2025 “ PAY ATTENTION, and be careful everyone
About 89 percent of U.S. consumers have experienced or been targeted by at least one form of fraud that can be tied to the holidays, including requests from (often fake) charities, online shopping scams and fraudulent communications about shipping problems, according to a 2024 AARP Fraud Watch Network report.
1. Card declined scams. Melanie McGovern, spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau (BBB), says the agency is seeing a relatively new scam: You pay for a purchase online and receive a message stating that your card has been declined. “The transaction did go through, but they’re trying to get more information out of you,” says McGovern. Entering another card into the system means that you’ll be charged on both cards.
2. Online shopping scams. Criminals use fake posts and social media campaigns sometimes impersonate major brands or tout products they never intend to ship. “We have seen an increase in consumers buying from social media without doing their research. Most social media ads are not vetted,” warns Nofziger. “Be careful when you see an item offered at below market price. If you do click on an ad, make sure it directs you to the page you want to be on.”
3. Gift card scams. “Gift card draining is still very popular," says Nofziger. This is when criminals steal gift cards in bulk from the racks, collect the information from the card, and return it to the in-store rack for unsuspecting buyers. “Once you load money on there, the criminal will drain the money off, even sometimes before you leave the store.”
4. Delivery scams. As holiday packages crisscross the country, scammers send out phishing emails and texts that appear to be from UPS, FedEx, or the U.S. Postal Service, notifying recipients about incoming or missed deliveries. Links lead to fake sign-in pages.
5. Travel scams. Some criminals send scam emails and texts offering deals such as free flights
#Scam #ScamAwareness
