With Christmas just around the corner and many of us gearing up to take some time off from work to be with our families, it's essential to stay vigilant as scammers are ramping up their efforts and working overtime. These fraudsters employ various tactics to target distracted and stressed last minute holiday shoppers. Whether you're on the hunt for the ideal gifts for your loved ones or contributing to a charitable cause, it's crucial to stay alert and be on the lookout for potential fraudulent activities. 如果你发现任何可疑活动，记得:

Stop. Look. Think.

Accidental “Clicks Happen” but they are preventable if we remember to stop, look, and think. 

1. Stop: 骗子通常用他们的策略制造一种紧迫感, 因此，总是停下来质疑请求的合法性是很重要的.
2. Look: Examine the details of the situation and question if the request is unexpected, suspicious, or abnormal. 
3. Think: Reflect on the legitimacy and consider whether it aligns with your usual experiences.

Trust your instincts and be cautious if something feels off or sounds too good to be true.  Your best defense against fraudsters this season is to be aware of the tactics they use. While scammers are always evolving their strategies to stay ahead of consumers education, our experts are here to share their predictions for the top 5 fraud schemes to look out for this season. 

1)未送达通知短信

With the influx of online shopping around the holidays and postal services behind schedule, 许多人在等待包裹时变得不耐烦. One recent scam involves fraudsters sending fake delivery notification text messages, 希望你能点击链接. These scam texts will take you to a phony website designed to either steal your personal information, 问一下你的信用卡号码, 或者骗你给骗子钱.

Warning signs:  

• 你被要求输入敏感信息. FedEX, UPS, and other delivery companies won’t ask for your SSN or credit card number to “find” your delivery.
• The link in the text takes you to a site that isn’t on the official UPS, USPS, or FedEx domains. 例如，您可以信任使用UPS的网站.com, FedEx.com, or USPS.com; but other variations of these domain addresses are scams

2)假慈善 

Scammers take advantage of your generosity during the holiday season by creating fake charities. 在你捐款之前，调查慈善机构是很重要的. You can check that a charity is legit by using the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance or Charity Navigator. For GoFundMe and similar campaigns, look into the organizer or group behind it before donating.

Warning signs:

• 捐款前一定要检查网址和慈善机构名称. Scammers often create “lookalike” charities that use variations of trusted names to fool you.
• 如果你遇到强行推销策略或含糊不清的语言，要小心. 慈善机构不应该威胁到你, 你应该总是能够知道你的捐款将如何使用.

3)来自你信任的公司的网络钓鱼

骗子们还在创建虚假的慈善组织, 他们也可能冒充你信任的公司或机构. For example, they may impersonate companies like Amazon or Apple to offer “giveaways” or claim to be from your bank and warning you that your account has been compromised. But the goal is always the same: Get you to click on a suspicious link or call a phone number and give up money or sensitive information.

Warning signs:

• 您收到有关特别优惠或奖品的未经请求的消息. Any email or text message that you didn’t request should be treated with caution.
• 该消息包含一个奇怪的链接. Phishing scams try to take you to a fake website or infect your device with malware. 总是悬停在链接上，看看他们把你带到哪里，然后再点击.
• There are other signs of a phishing scam, such as strange spelling, grammar, and formatting issues.

4)欺骗性的季节性工作机会

求职诈骗是一个日益严重的问题. 但是在节日期间, scammers prey on people looking to make extra cash by posting fake job listings offering good money for little work. 在几乎所有的情况下, the scammers will either steal your personal information during the “hiring process” or trick you into sending them money for “supplies and training.“在提供你的个人信息之前，对公司进行调查是很重要的. Check review sites like Glassdoor to see if anyone has left comments about the company. Make sure you don’t share sensitive information until you can verify that the identity of the person and the company offering you the job are both legitimate.

Warning signs:

• 如果你被雇佣时几乎没有任何流程，那就非常谨慎. Scammers will either offer you a position on the spot or conduct a quick interview over WhatsApp or Telegram.
• Beware of any job that asks for your personal information right away — including your Social Security number (SSN), 银行账号, 或者税务信息.
• 你被要求兑现一张支票，并把多余的钱寄回公司. 这是退款骗局的明显警告信号.

如果我觉得自己被骗了怎么办?

如果你觉得自己被骗了, it is important to take the necessary actions to limit the damages caused and to protect yourself from any more issues that could be faced.

1. Contact your credit union or bank immediately: If you sent the scammer any money or account information, call your financial institution and let them know that you have experienced fraud. 询问交易是否已经被取消, 你可以对付款提出异议，努力拿回你的钱.¹
2. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission: Let the FTC know about the scam that you have experienced via a complaint to inform them of what is going on. 这将使他们能够保护其他人免受同样的骗局. The FTC will provide you with the proper steps to take to potentially get your money back.¹
3. Freeze your credit reports: Scams that steal your personal information and not just your money can be dangerous when it comes to your credit reports. If you feel that your personal information was stolen, freeze your credit reports immediately. Doing so will block the scammer from opening any accounts using your information, 哪些会影响你的信用评分.¹

有疑问或需要报告可疑活动?

联系利记app官网，全年为欺诈提供支持. From everyone at Elements, may you enjoy a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season!