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Whether you’re online shopping, donating to charity or securing a loan to help pay for the big day, Christmas time brings a whole host of opportunities for fraudsters to get their hands on your money.
We're here to make sure your Christmas break goes without a hitch. Protect yourself and your loved ones from fraud this festive season with these 12 top tips.
With more of us avoiding the last-minute dash to the shops in favour of browsing from the comfort of our own home, online shopping sales have boomed over the past few years, but sadly, so have the frauds surrounding them. Buyers should beware bogus websites and counterfeit goods that are either poor quality or never delivered.
The prevention:
Christmas is traditionally a time when many charities ask for donations. Most of these requests are legitimate, but sadly fraudsters may look to take advantage of your charitable nature and help themselves to your cash.
The prevention:
It’s not only Valentine’s Day when people consider looking for love. Family, friends and loved ones are a big part of Christmas celebrations and people often turn to online dating during the festive season. Sadly, romance fraudsters can always be relied upon to ruin the fun. Dating and romance scammers build a bond with someone online, leading them to believe they are in a real relationship before asking for money, usually for an emotive reason.
The prevention:
Christmas can be expensive, so it’s understandable that many people turn to loans to help with the cost of presents, food and other festive goods. Loan frauds usually happen when a person applies for a loan, is accepted and then told they have to pay an upfront fee to cover the insurance. Once this fee is paid, the victim never hears from the company again and the loan is never received.
The prevention:
‘Tis the season for enjoying yourself! Concerts, gigs, theatre performances and sporting events are a big part of getting into that festive spirit and a great way to make happy memories. However, as with all these things, sadly fraudsters are ready to strike. Bogus websites selling fake tickets to events that have already sold out is an all-too-common occurrence at this time of year.
The prevention:
During the festive season, many of us like to book a few days away – whether escaping to the slopes or seeking a spot of winter sun- and Christmas is a busy time for travel. As you might expect, waiting in the wings to take full advantage are the fraudsters. They list holiday homes, hotels and more online and on social media at bargain “too good to miss” prices when the properties don’t actually exist.
The prevention:
Fraudsters take full advantage of the chaos and rush around Christmas time. You’re so set on getting all your presents that you might not think twice when asked to pay for something via bank transfer, rather than inputting your card details. However tempted you may be because something is “the last one in stock”, never transfer money directly into a seller’s bank account. There are plenty of genuine sellers out there, but be aware fraudsters are also looking to cash-in by persuading people to transfer money for products and services that don’t exist.
The prevention:
With more and more people looking to cut costs and save the environment, Christmas e-cards (virtual Christmas cards you can send digitally via email) are becoming ever more popular. While most are genuine, be aware that cyber criminals are creating their own festive e-card, which, once opened, can install malware on your device enabling the scammers to collect your personal, sensitive data.
The prevention:
Quishing, also known as QR code phishing, involves tricking someone into scanning a phony QR code with their phone or device. The QR code then takes the user to a fraudulent website that might download malware or ask for sensitive information. QR codes are often found on things like parking machines, charging points, emails, even restaurant menus and you may well use them even more this time of year as you dash between car parks to purchase presents and meet up with friends in cafes and restaurants.
The prevention:
Beware fraudsters on social media platforms advertising festive giveaways and offers. While many will be genuine, some are designed to encourage you to click on phony adverts, which take you to bogus sites and ask for personal or financial details.
The prevention:
Mobile phones, tablets and anything tech are the gifts of choice for many at Christmas, but these are a cyber-criminal’s dream! Fraudsters are constantly developing new ways to infect our devices through malicious apps or infected website URLs.
The prevention:
Auction sites such as eBay and Vinted are a great way to buy Christmas gifts – items are often cheaper and you get a great feeling from giving new life to something unwanted. However, while most items and sellers on auction sites are genuine, there are those looking to make a quick buck at your expense.
The prevention: