5 clever tricks holiday scammers use

December 15, 2024

By Kim Komando

JD in Dallas emailed me with a story. He and his wife were at the mall and stopped for a Christmas selfie. Two young men walking by offered to take the pic for them — and one kept wiping the phone’s lens inside his jacket.

“It seemed like too big of a production and felt suspicious. Am I overreacting?”

JD, you learned a valuable lesson: Never hand your unlocked phone to a stranger. They were most likely trying to send themselves money. Have your wife check her financial accounts for any strange transactions.

The holiday shopping frenzy is here, and most tricks are digital. It’s easy to let your guard down when you’re in a rush. I’ve got a list of the most devious scams you need to watch, brought to you by my antivirus pick, TotalAV.

Don’t fall for this junk

📦 Fake order confirmations: These are everywhere. The message is some variation of “Your package couldn’t be delivered!” Click the link to reschedule delivery and you’ll land on a fake site that asks for personal details like your address or credit card info.

🎁 Bogus giveaways: “Win $1,000!” Just fill out a quick form and you’re in! And you’ve just handed over your email, phone number and other details to who-knows-who. Only enter giveaways from companies and people you trust (like me!).

🔍 Search engine traps: You search for a store’s site or return policy and land on a scammy duplicate designed to steal your login info. Always type in the web address directly if you know it; otherwise, scroll past sponsored results, which are easier to hack.

💳 Skimmed checkout pages: Everything looks normal, but hidden behind the scenes, a skimmer on the site steals your credit card details.

🤖 Bogus CAPTCHA forms: You know the drill: Prove you’re human by checking “I’m not a robot.” But what happens next is the trap. Instead of moving forward, you’re asked to download a file for “instructions.” Spoiler alert: That “instruction” file installs malware on your device.

Kim’s holiday safety checklist

These scams are tricky, but you can outsmart the bad guys.

• Don’t hit “buy” without protection: Scammers are too good. Protect yourself with trusted antivirus software. More on that below.
• Verify before you buy: If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Stick to trusted retailers, not some site you’ve never heard of.
• Double-check URLs: Before entering payment or personal details, make sure the URL starts with https://. Watch for odd spellings or weird domains, like .biz or .top.
• Delete it: If you get a random email about a missed delivery or order update, don’t click the link. Go directly to the store or carrier’s website to check the status.
• No debit cards: Stick to more secure payment methods like credit cards or PayPal, which come with fraud protections. If a site requires debit, a direct bank transfer or payment apps, move on.

No matter how smart you are …

Hackers find a way. That’s why a strong antivirus program is essential for safe online shopping.

Not all antivirus programs are created equally. I’ve tested plenty over the years, and I can tell you TotalAV stands out. It’s a complete security powerhouse for your devices, privacy and personal information.

• Powerful malware protection: TotalAV scans your system for viruses, ransomware and other threats and removes them before they cause damage.
• Real-time defense: The second something suspicious pops up, TotalAV is on it, blocking threats so they don’t make a mess on your devices.
• System optimization: It doesn’t just keep you safe; it helps your devices run better by clearing junk files, optimizing performance and freeing up space.

Plus, it’s incredibly user-friendly. TotalAV makes it simple to scan and secure your devices so you can stay one step ahead of hackers and malware. If you’re already using another antivirus program, it’s super easy to remove it and install TotalAV. You don’t need to be a tech expert to stay protected.

✅ Right now, use my link to protect up to five devices for just $19. (I don’t get any kickbacks if you buy.) It’s the best deal you can find. I made sure of it!