File photo.
With the Christmas season in full swing, buying Christmas presents and last-minute shopping is in full swing.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) wants to remind Airdronians to be safe when shopping online, as 12 scams stick out during the holiday season.
Wes Lafortune, Media Relations Coordinator for the BBB serving Alberta and East Kootenay talked about the importance of being aware when it comes to different scams.
"Canadians this year are estimated to spend about $15 billion on shopping. So you want to make sure what you are paying for is what you actually want and not something else, or nothing at all."
Here are the 12 scams to be on the lookout for this holiday season, according to the Better Business Bureau:
1. Misleading Social Media Ads: You often see products advertised on your social media feed. Before ordering, check out the business profile on the BBB website and read the reviews.
2. Social Media Gift Exchanges: This scheme pops back up each holiday season. 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. Another 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 and those of their family members and friends and are 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.
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. Investments: Scammers are using phony websites and phone calls to entice consumers to make investments. Cryptocurrency fraud was the number one scam in Canada, as reported in the 2023 ScamTracker Risk Report. Never make a quick investment decision. Always do careful research. For more information go to the Alberta Securities Commission website: checkfirst.ca.
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 gift cards. In some of these emails, scammers impersonate legitimate companies and promise gift cards to reward their loyal customers. They may 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 offers, 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: 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 find their official social media handles, or use the information on the site to reach out.
8. Fake Charities: The last few weeks of the year are a busy time for charitable donations. Donors are advised to look out for fraudulent charities and scammers pretending to be individuals in need. Avoid impromptu donation decisions to unfamiliar organizations. Responsible organizations will welcome a gift tomorrow as much as they do today. Verify a charity at the Canada Revenue Agency website. Where possible, donate to the charity through their website and use a credit card.
9. Fake Shipping Notifications: With the Canada Post strike there is a heightened concern about fake shipping notifications. More consumers making online purchases during the holidays leads to an increase in the number of notifications about shipping details from retailers and carriers. Scammers use this surge to send phishing emails and texts about package deliveries with links enclosed that may allow unwanted access to your private information or download malware onto your device. Never click a link in a text or email that you’re not expecting. If you want to track a package, find the original email or text confirmation you received directly from the store and use that link.
10. Advent Calendars: Each year, there are more and more advent calendars being sold. Some were not received, and others received inferior products or incomplete orders.
11. The Hottest Toy: Low-priced luxury goods, jewellery, designer clothing, and electronics are almost always cheap counterfeits and knockoffs. The same applies to popular toys. This year, Barbies, Bluey toys, and brain teasers are just some of the items in high demand. Be very cautious when considering purchasing popular toys from resellers on Facebook Marketplace and other platforms.
12. Puppy Scams: Many families may be considering adding a furry friend to their household this year. However, be on the lookout for scams. Many would-be pet owners turn to the internet to find their future cat or dog, but experts say a shocking 80 per cent of sponsored pet advertisements may be fake. Be sure to see the pet in person before making a purchase. Take your time to research such an important decision, and consider adopting from the humane shelter after making sure your family is ready for a pet.
Lafortune mentioned if you do fall for a scam and lose money, share it with the police so they can investigate and hopefully get your money back.
"We want to encourage everybody in Airdrie to have a happy holiday and to if you've been unfortunate enough to be scammed, of course, report it. But otherwise, we're really encouraging people to get out there and also support local businesses by visiting local merchants because that's really important as well."
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