HONOLULU (KHON2) – Santa’s not the only one making a list and checking it twice. The Better Business Bureau has its own naughty and nice list, and for the holiday season, the nonprofit has put together a list of the 12 most notable holiday-related scams.
Here are the 12 most notable holiday scams:
- Misleading social media ads
- Social media gift exchanges
- Unsafe holiday apps
- Fake toll collection texts
- Phishing emails offering free stuff
- Seasonal job scams
- Impostor websites
- Fake charities
- Fake shipping notifications
- Advent calendars
- Holiday wish list rip-offs
- Puppy scams
Nakashima says when you encounter a scam, especially if you lose money to one, report it to BBB Scam Tracker. According to Nakashima:
-We share the data we receive with law enforcement agencies, government agencies, consumer protection organizations, and other entities to help identify and prosecute scammers, and to educate the public about scam trends.
-If you lost money in a scam, report it to your financial institution. They may be able to help you get your money back.
-And if the situation warrants it, you may want to alert the local law enforcement.
Nakashima tells us protecting your money and personal information from one of these holiday-themed schemes can be simple. He provides three tips to keep in mind that will help keep you safe:
-Don’t reply to or interact with unsolicited texts or emails. Mark them as spam and delete them immediately.
-Vet the people you interact with on social media and online, and never send money or items to people you have not met in person.
-Only shop from websites and brands you know and trust.
If you have questions about an potential impostor site or want to learn more about a business you are not familiar with, you can look it up on the Better Business Bureau website at BBB.org