Don't Let Holiday Scams Get the Best of You

The incoming holiday season comes with its fair share of scams, ranging from malicious emails to stolen wallets and from illegitimate charities and Craigslist postings. Better Business Bureau Serving Metro Atlanta, Athens & Northeast Georgia wants your wallet and your identity to stay safe this holiday season. When getting into the holiday mood, take the following tips into consideration to make sure the season stays jolly:

1. Check BBB’s Business Review – All year long, and especially during the holidays, some websites will advertise deals that are too good to be true. Before paying for that deal online, always check out the business’ BBB Business review at bbb.org and check to see that the company has a physical address and phone number.

2. Exercise Caution with Craigslist – When buying from free bulletin board sites, always do your transactions in person, and bring a friend with you if you don’t feel comfortable meeting with the advertiser alone. Most importantly, do not wire money to the seller. Having physical meetings where goods are exchanged will give you a better chance of avoiding a scam. Additionally, check out seller ratings or read reviews if you’re buying from EBay. A good rule of thumb for any online shopping? If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

3. Keep Your Wallet Safe – Make sure you stay cognizant of your surroundings during the mad rush of holiday shopping. If you’re not paying attention, thieves can easily swipe your wallet or glance over your shoulder for PIN and card numbers. Make a conscious effort of covering the keypad when entering in a PIN number, always put your cards in a secure place and keep your wallet guarded.

4. Research Charities – Scammers will often take advantage of one’s goodwill, especially during the holidays. Before donating, check to see if your chosen charity meets BBB Wise Giving Alliance’s 20 Standards for Charity Accountability. Avoid charities that ask for immediate donations or are obviously unprepared to carry out their cause.

5. Be Careful with Your Email – Exercise safe email practices by only clicking on links or attachments that you know are from secure sources. Holiday themed e-cards and messages that claim to have links with packaging information are common, so keep track of your spending habits online and check for anything that doesn’t match up (email addresses, typos, grammatical mistakes, etc.). And for an extra layer of protection, keep your antivirus software on your computer current.