Page 8 THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2024 The naughty list: BBB’s 12 scams of the holidays W hen shopping or donating this holiday season, watch out for schemes trying to swipe your cash or steal your personal information. You can avoid most of the scams on the list below by taking a few simple precautions. Always exercise caution with social media ads promoting discounted items, holiday events, job opportunities and donation requests, as well as direct messages from strangers. If you are asked to make a payment or donation by wire transfer, through a third party or by prepaid debit or gift card, treat it as a red fl ag. Be mindful of these scams that could cut into your holiday cheer: 1. Misleading social media ads: As you scroll through your social media feed, you often see products advertised. Always research before you buy. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker receives daily reports of people paying for items that they never receive, getting charged monthly for a free trial they never signed up for or receiving an item that is counterfeit or much diff erent from the one advertised. The 2023 BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report found that online purchase scams were the third riskiest scam reported by consumers in 2023. Before ordering, check out the business profi le on BBB. org and read the reviews. 2. Social media gift exchanges: Each holiday season this scheme pops back up. The older version was called “Secret Sister.” Newer versions of this scam revolve around exchanging bottles of wine or bourbon; another suggests purchasing $10 gifts online. AnothHe’s Back...and Better Than Ever! John A. Fitzpatrick (Fitzy) Sales & Lease Consultant Direct: 617.410.1030 Main: 617.381.9000 Cell: 617.279.9962 McGovern Automotive Group 100 Broadway, Rte. 99, Everett er twist asks you to submit your email to a list where participants get to pick a name and send money to strangers to “pay it forward.” There is even a twist about “Secret Santa Dog” where you buy a $10 gift for your “secret dog.” In all these versions, participants unwittingly share their personal information, along with those of their family members and friends, and are further tricked into buying and shipping gifts or money to unknown individuals. It’s also an illegal pyramid scheme. Stick to buying your friends gifts from trustworthy businesses, and check BBB.org before you buy. 3. Holiday apps: Apple’s App Store and Google Play list dozens of holiday-themed apps where children can video chat live with Santa, light the menorah, watch Santa feed live reindeer, track his sleigh on Christmas Eve or relay their holiday wish lists. Review privacy policies to see what information will be collected. Be wary of free apps, as they can sometimes contain more advertising than apps that require a nominal fee. Free apps can also contain malware. Be sure to read reviews as well. 4. Fake toll collection texts: If you’re planning to drive a long distance to visit family or take a vacation this holiday season, watch out for fake road toll collection texts, which have been on the rise this year. In this con, scammers impersonate a state road tollway collection service and text you — saying you owe a road toll fee — and provide a link to click on to make your payment. If you receive a text, don’t click the link. Instead, if you think you might owe road tolls, verify your outstanding balance with the legitimate agency. 5. Free gift cards: Nothing brings good cheer like the word FREE. Scammers have been known to take advantage of this weakness by sending bulk phishing emails requesting personal information to receive free gift cards. In some of these emails, scammers impersonate legitimate companies and promise gift cards to reward their loyal customers. They might also use pop-up ads or send text messages with links saying you were randomly selected as the winner of a prize. If you have received an unsolicited email with gift card off ers, do not open it. Instead, mark it as spam or junk and delete it. However, if you opened the email, do not click on any links. 6. Temporary holiday jobs: Employment scams were identified as the number one riskiest scam for people ages 18-44 in 2023. If you’re looking for seasonal work this holiday season, keep an eye out for opportunities that seem too good to be true. Retailers typically hire seasonal workers to help meet the demands of holiday shoppers. Shippers and delivery services are top holiday employers because of the increase in online orders that need to be delivered before Christmas. Job seekers need to be wary of employment scams aimed at stealing money and personal information from job applicants. 7. Impostor scams: Impostor scams can take many forms, especially during the holiday season when you may be purchasing and returning gifts. When shopping online, be on the lookout for fake, look-alike websites created by scammers to trick people into downloading malware, making dead-end purchases and sharing private information. If you’re reaching out to a business on social media for customer support, watch out for fake social media accounts pretending to be a customer service representative for a business. When in doubt, go to the business’s website and fi nd their offi cial social media handles, or use the information on the site to reach out.
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