How to Avoid Christmas Scams
Christmas may be a time of good will but it is also a time where fraudsters really come out of the woodwork and fraud investigators have their work cut out for them. Many people let their guard down for the festive period and that can be financially dangerous!
What to Watch Out For
One of the main things that you should watch out for at Christmas time is Counterfeit goods. Many fraudsters sell counterfeit goods to fund criminal activities. Christmas is the ideal time to sell these goods as they look genuine, but they can be sold at very low prices. As people try to grab a bargain, counterfeit goods can seem really appealing. Even if you are in a rush you should always pay attention to what you are buying. This applies both online and offline!
When you are in a rush, not only could you end up buying counterfeit goods, but you could also potentially give away your debit/credit card details. If you are buying online, pay extra care with the sites that you choose to buy from. Make sure that they contain safety measures that will protect your card details. Many fraudsters set up fake sites that will take your details and then they can use them however they wish.
If you are shopping offline you should pay extra attention to who is standing behind you at the ATM. Don’t leave receipts lying around and always cover up your pin number when you type it in.
Another common scam that pops up around Christmas time is lottery wins. The elderly in particular are vulnerable to this scam. You usually receive a letter telling you that you have won part of the lottery. Some will be unrealistic where they will mention a huge amount of money. Others will tell you that you have won a smaller amount and these look far more genuine than the others. If you need to pay upfront foreign taxes to receive your money it is a scam!
These are just some of the scams that you can fall victim to at Christmas time. To avoid them you just have to make sure that you are on your guard. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true then it more than likely is.
