Holiday Scams to Watch Out for This Holiday Season

The most wonderful time of the year is finally here! With a plethora of holidays, excitement, and gift-giving, there is more online activity than any other time of the year. Unfortunately, this season also brings a spike in scams. From fake toll collection texts to fake charities and fraudulent shopping sites, cybercriminals take advantage of busy, distracted shoppers. Below are the most common holiday scams and the steps you can take to protect yourself or your loved ones this holiday season.

Common Holiday Scams to Watch Out For

1. Package Delivery Scams 

Package delivery scams usually arrive as unexpected texts or emails claiming there’s a problem with your delivery, such as a missed drop-off, unpaid postage, or a delivery delay. The message often creates urgency, saying action is required within hours to avoid return or cancellation. The branding closely resembles USPS, FedEx, UPS, or Amazon, to make people believe they are real updates. 

When you click the link, you’re typically redirected to a fake tracking page designed to look legitimate. From there, you may be asked to confirm personal details, enter login credentials, or pay a small “redelivery” or “processing” fee
Protect yourself by:

• Never clicking on links or sharing account information through them
• Not replying to unexpected text messages
• Contacting the shipping carrier directly through the official website if you have questions

2. Package Theft (Porch Piracy)

Porch piracy happens when thieves steal packages left outside homes or businesses. During the holidays, increased deliveries make boxes an easy target. Theft may happen within minutes of delivery, and in some cases, criminals monitor delivery routes or neighborhoods to look for unattended packages. While porch piracy isn’t a cyber scam, it’s still important to take steps to protect your packages during the holidays.
Reduce your risk by:

• Installing video doorbells or security cameras
• Asking a neighbor to collect packages if you’re away
• Bringing packages inside as soon as possible

3. Fake Toll Collection Texts

This year has seen a significant increase in fake text messages claiming you owe road toll fees. They create urgency, demanding immediate payment to avoid fines, and often include a link or reference recent travel to seem believable. Legitimate toll agencies typically do not contact you this way, official notices are sent through mail, apps, or secure websites. 
How to protect yourself:

• Never click links in unexpected messages regarding toll fees
• Verify your toll balance directly through the legitimate agency’s website or app
• Delete and report suspicious texts without responding

4. Free Gift Card Scams

Gift card scams promise free or heavily discounted gift cards from popular retailers. Messages may claim you’ve won a promotion, been selected as a loyal customer, or are eligible for a holiday reward. The offer often expires quickly and requires you to click a link or provide personal information to “claim” the prize.
Stay safe by:

• Treating unsolicited gift card offers as spam or junk
• Avoiding all links in unexpected promotional emails
• Deleting anything that feels suspicious

5. Holiday Charity Scams

Holiday charity scams take advantage of seasonal generosity. Scammers may impersonate well-known charities or create fake ones, reaching out through phone calls, emails, social media, or crowdfunding pages like GoFundMe . These messages often use emotional language or urgent stories to pressure quick donations.

• Research charities on trusted sites like BBB, Wise Giving Alliance, or Charity Navigator
• Verify phone numbers on the charity’s official website
• Avoid giving personal or financial information over the phone to unsolicited callers

6. Phishing Emails and Text Messages

Phishing messages are designed to look like legitimate communications from companies, banks, or even people you know. They may reference recent purchases, account activity, or security alerts. Some scams impersonate family members on social media or via text, asking for money or help and relying on urgency and emotion to bypass skepticism.

They can also commonly impersonate people within your company. During the holidays, someone may pose as your boss or a coworker, asking you to buy gift cards for holiday presents. Preventative measures include hovering over the email address to check if it matches the sender’s usual address and looking for other red flags. 
Common red flags:

• Misspelled or strange sender addresses
• Unfamiliar order confirmations or tracking links
• Requests for login credentials, banking details, or Social Security numbers
• A friend or family member asking for money over social media

7. Fake Shopping Websites

Fake shopping sites are designed to look professional and trustworthy, often advertising deep discounts on popular or hard-to-find items. These sites may closely mimic real retailers but exist only to collect payment details or personal information. After purchase, items never arrive, or the site disappears entirely.
How to spot a fraudulent site:

• No clear contact information or physical address
• Low-quality images, errors, or poor grammar
• Requests for payment via wire transfers, crypto, gift cards, or unknown apps
• Deals that seem too good to be true

Always double-check URLs, read reviews, and make sure the site uses HTTPS.

Safety Practices 

These steps aren’t just for you, they’re especially important for helping loved ones who may not know how to spot scams or adjust their device settings. Taking time to help family members, friends, or neighbors set up spam filters, call blocking, account alerts, and security features on their phones, computers, and email accounts can significantly reduce their risk. Walking through these protections together and explaining why they matter helps build confidence and makes it easier for them to recognize and avoid scams on their own.

Smart cybersecurity habits include:

• Turning on two-factor authentication for all financial accounts
• Using strong, unique passwords
• Avoiding public Wi-Fi when banking or shopping
• Keeping your devices updated
• Installing reputable antivirus or anti-malware software

These simple steps dramatically reduce your risk of fraud.

How to Identify and Avoid Holiday Scams

Watch for Common Red Flags

• Beware of urgency. Messages that pressure you to “act now,” threaten consequences, or create panic are a major warning sign. Scammers rely on rushed decisions.
• Gift cards = scam. Any request for payment using gift cards, cryptocurrency, or store credit is almost always fraudulent and should be reported.
• Verify everything. If someone claims to be from a company, bank, or government agency, hang up or stop responding and contact them using an official phone number or website.

Be Careful with Calls, Texts, and Emails

• Don’t answer unknown numbers. If you don’t recognize the caller, avoid engaging in real time. AI-generated scam calls can sound convincing and may even leave realistic voicemails using familiar voices or urgent situations. Always verify requests independently using trusted contact information.
• Avoid suspicious links and attachments. Unexpected links or attachments are a common way scammers spread malware or steal personal information. Even if a message appears to come from someone you know, don’t click unless you were expecting it.
• Never share sensitive information. This includes passwords, PINs, Social Security numbers, and banking details. Legitimate organizations will not ask for this information unexpectedly.

Strengthen Account Security

• Turn on two-factor authentication for all important accounts. Two-factor authentication adds extra protection by requiring a second step when signing in, such as a code sent to your phone or an in-app approval. This should be enabled on email, banking, shopping, cloud storage, and any account that contains personal or confidential information. Even if someone gets your password, 2FA helps stop them from getting into your account.
• Don’t reuse passwords, especially on shopping accounts with saved payment information. If one account is compromised, scammers often try the same password on other sites. Reusing passwords on shopping, email, or financial-related accounts can give criminals access to saved credit cards, addresses, and personal details. Use a unique password for each important account, and consider a reputable password manager to securely store and generate strong passwords.
  
  

Use Tools and Trusted Help

• Use scam text and link checkers. If you’re unsure about a message or link, copy it and search for a scam checker instead of clicking. Tools from reputable cybersecurity companies, such as F-Secure’s scam checker, can help identify known scams.
• Talk it through with someone you trust. Scammers rely on isolation and urgency. Taking a moment to discuss a suspicious message or request with a friend or family member can reveal red flags and prevent costly mistakes. Encouraging loved ones to pause and get a second opinion is one of the simplest ways to stay safe during the holidays.

Stay Alert, Stay Connected, Stay Safe

Holiday scams thrive when people are busy, distracted, and rushing to get things done. While scammers continue to evolve their tactics, the good news is that most fraud can be avoided by slowing down, verifying information, and using basic security habits. Being aware of what common scams look like combined with strong account protections and a willingness to double-check goes a long way toward preventing financial loss and identity theft.

Just as important, protecting yourself also means looking out for others. Taking time to talk with loved ones, especially those who may be less familiar with technology or cybersecurity threats, can make a meaningful difference. Encouraging open conversations, setting up security features together, and reminding one another to pause before acting helps create a safer holiday season for everyone.

A little caution, a second opinion, and the right tools can help ensure the holidays stay focused on celebration and not recovery from a scam.

To learn more about protecting yourself from scams and improving your security awareness, explore these helpful resources:

• How to Avoid Falling for “Pig Butchering” Cyber Scams
• Attorney Targeted By Vishing Scam with AI Social Engineering, Describes Lessons Learned
• Ask The Expert: Vishing, Phishing, Smishing – What You Need to Know