Fake ads are taking over Facebook: A Broward County, Florida, family found strangers at their front door, claiming they paid a $250 deposit to rent a car parked in the driveway. It turns out crooks had secretly snapped pics and posted them on Facebook Marketplace. After they turned the renters away, someone came back and vandalized the car. Ridiculous.
5 holiday scams to know about so you don't get fooled
Have you started your holiday shopping yet? If not, you better get to it. We rounded up some of the web’s most unique and versatile goodies. Tap or click here for a list of great Christmas gift ideas.
The holidays are a time of cheer and togetherness. A time to gather your friends and family to exchange gifts and laughs. And a time for scammers to pounce.
Yes, it’s an unfortunate truth that the holiday season is prime time for hackers. With everyone rushing to give gifts, people make careless mistakes and crooks are fully aware of this. Here are five scams to watch out for during the festivities.
1. You get a text about your order
The scam:
The Better Business Bureau is warning about a delivery scam involving a text message claiming that a delivery courier needs you to “update delivery preferences” on a package by clicking a link. Other messages contain a tracking link or a note there’s a problem with the delivery.
The links are all scams. They lead to a form that asks for personal information or takes you to a site that downloads malware onto your device.
How to avoid it:
- If you’re not expecting any deliveries, delete the message. Do not respond to it, as the scammers will know that your phone number is active, the address is correct and they have your attention.
- The text message may contain a link where you supposedly reschedule the delivery. The message and the link are fake and will send you to a fraudulent website. You’ll likely be asked for sensitive information like payment details.
- Never give out personal information to somebody that you don’t know. If a call or message comes from a real delivery company, they should already have your details and the tracking number.
2. You missed a delivery?
The scam:
Another scam involves fake missed delivery messages. Crooks place a note on your door that says there’s a problem with a delivery. There’ll be a phone number to call to reschedule your delivery.
Watch out for these Amazon scams during your holiday shopping
The holiday season is prime time for scammers. People are in a rush, looking for deals and trying to find exactly what they want, which leads to careless decisions.
Christmas lights are already going up, and you can hear holiday tunes everywhere. If you want to shop for decorations online, be careful! Scammers are out in full force with fake ads and shoddy merchandise. Tap or click here for holiday decoration scams to watch out for.
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A recent viral TikTok video tells a story about a family staying at a hotel and ordering room service from a fake menu slipped under their door. The father revealed his debit card credentials to a scammer when he placed his order. Tap or click here for more on this scary situation and how you can avoid it.
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