Ho! Ho! Ho! Scammers are coming for your Christmas shopping

Black Friday. Cyber Monday. Store Sales. All represent opportunities for scammers to steal your credit card numbers, your identity, and your packages. How bad are things? Amazon sent an email in early November to all members, warning that crooks would try to impersonate its website.

A month later, crooks are enjoying open season on shoppers. Here’s the official Tropical Financial Credit Union guide to protecting yourself this holiday season:

FAKE ONLINE STORES

Scammers create convincing e-commerce sites with minor variations in web addresses that mimic popular retailers, or use social media ads to promote these stores. Unsuspecting shoppers pay for goods that never arrive, and their payment information and personal details are stolen.

Avoid being scammed by:

• Verifying websites by looking for HTTPS at the beginning of the web address
• Reading reviews before purchasing.
• Being skeptical of recently created domains, sites with missing customer service information, or unusually low prices.
• Typing the web address (i.e., https://amazon.com) directly into your browser
• Not clicking on ad links.

DEEPFAKE CELEBRITY OR INFLUENCER ADS

In this new age of AI, fraudsters have quickly learned to craft realistic deepfake videos or social posts featuring the likeness of celebrities or influencers to offer exclusive discounts. You are likely to see them on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

Avoid being scammed by:

• Scrutinizing social media ads and only trusting offers from verified accounts.
• Researching the brand that the celebrity or influencer is promoting, especially if a deal appears unexpectedly in your feed.

PHISHING AND “SMISHING” (SMS) SCAMS

You may already be familiar with emails or texts that pretend to be real shipping alerts, order confirmations, or charity campaigns. Crooks fake the appearance of being a familiar retailer or use AI to include your real name.

Avoid being scammed by:

• Never clicking on links in unsolicited messages.
• Accessing tracking and order information by typing the official company website into your browser.
• Using strong anti-virus software and keeping it updated.

DELIVERY/SHIPPING TEXT SCAMS

Expect text messages impersonating USPS, UPS, or FedEx that claim delivery problems. They will ask you to confirm address details, pay extra charges, or enter personal data on a fake tracking site.

Avoid being scammed by:

• Tracking packages only on the carrier’s official website.
• Never providing payment information or sensitive personal data via links in texts.

WATCH OUT FOR ZELLE SCAMS

Now that Zelle is available to TFCU members, scammers may try to trick you into sending money you can’t get back. Common red flags include texts or calls pretending to be your credit union, sellers on Facebook Marketplace demanding Zelle, or someone claiming they sent you money “by accident.” Never use Zelle with anyone you don’t know personally, and remember: Tropical Financial will never ask you to send money to resolve an issue with your account.

BRUSHING SCAMS

Online criminals send you an unsolicited gift, urging you to scan a QR code or to “register” for a prize. In fact, they are harvesting your information or boosting a fake review profile.

Avoid being scammed by:

• Not scanning QR codes or enter personal details for items you didn’t order.
• Reporting suspicious packages to the retailer or carrier listed on the label.

As the nation’s second-largest retailer (Walmart is #1), Amazon encounters many types of scams. In its email, it warns against these online impersonation schemes:

• Messages through unofficial channels asking for your password or payment information.
• Unfamiliar links asking you to verify your account credentials through fake or phishing websites.
• Unsolicited phone calls claiming to be from tech support or other agencies.
• Urgent requests via text or email regarding a purchase or account.