While people have many ways to shop for the holidays, fraudsters have many ways to lure their next victims. Don’t let the excitement and merriment of the season distract you and leave you vulnerable to identity theft or fraudulent charges. Use a little extra caution and be aware of the following scams to keep your holiday merry and bright.

Delivery Scam

These fake messages look as though they are coming from delivery services such as FedEx, UPS, or even the United States Post Office. The phony message claims that a delivery can’t be made along with a link to click to reschedule. But beware, the link is a phishing attempt to steal personal information or download malware. This scam escalates each holiday season.  Please note that delivery services will never ask for your personal information via email or text.

Charity Scam

Motivated by the holiday spirit, people give to those less fortunate during the holidays. Unfortunately, scammers take advantage of this goodwill and promote fake charities in order to secure donations from generous donors. Donate to your favorite charities by visiting their websites to make safe and secure online donations.  Before you give to an unfamiliar charity, look them up at one of these useful sites:

Fake Refund Scam

It can be hard to keep up with purchases made during the busy holiday season. Scammers take advantage of this by sending a message stating you have a pending refund that you can claim by clicking on a link. However, the link may install malware to steal your personal information.

Travel Scam

Messages with offers for free or discounted flights or hotel stays that seem too good to be true probably aren’t legit. Clicking on links could install information-stealing malware. Go directly to the airline or hotel’s website to verify the offer.

Porch Pirates

Packages at your door are too enticing for some thieves to pass up. Track your packages so you know when they are arriving. You can also request delivery to the address of a friend or family member who is home during the day. If you’re traveling over the holidays, request the post office hold your mail to prevent mail theft.

Fake Contests

Winning a free trip or a large screen TV for yourself sounds great after shopping for others. But be wary of any contest that requests access to your personal or financial information.

Protect Yourself with These Tips

  • Only shop online at websites that begin with “https:” the “s” stands for secure communications. Also look for a padlock icon in the browser window.
  • Don't shop on unsecured public Wi-Fi spots.
  • Update your security software on your desktop, laptop, tablet and smartphone.
  • Install anti-virus software to stop malware.
  • Ensure your firewall is enabled to prevent intrusions.
  • Use strong, unique passwords for your online accounts.
  • Use multi-factor authentication whenever possible.

 Have questions or concerns? Please call or visit your Marine Bank banking center during business hours and we’ll be happy to assist you.