How to Avoid Holiday Scams: Shop, Ship, and Give Safely

The holidays are a season of giving, and scammers know it. We're shopping more, expecting packages, donating to good causes, and rushing to get everything done. That busy, generous mood is exactly what scammers count on.

The good news: most holiday scams follow a few familiar patterns. Once you know them, they get much easier to spot. This guide covers the most common ones, simple habits that protect you, and what to do if something goes wrong.

The golden rules

Slow down. Scammers create urgency: "Your package will be returned today," "Only 2 left," "Your account will be closed." Real businesses give you time.
Don't click links in unexpected texts or emails. Go to the company's website or app yourself, or call a number you already know.
No real business asks to be paid in gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or payment apps to a stranger. Anyone who does is a scammer.
If it sounds too good to be true, it is. A 90% off designer bag or a free gift card for a survey is bait.

The most common holiday scams

1. Fake delivery texts and emails

"USPS: Your package could not be delivered. Update your address here." These messages look official and arrive just when you're expecting packages. The link leads to a fake site that steals your card number or personal information.

What to do: Don't click. Track packages only through the tracking number from your order confirmation, on the carrier's own website or app. The Postal Service doesn't text you about a package unless you signed up for texts with that tracking number.

2. Fake online stores and social media deals

Scammers build convincing websites and run ads on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for hot toys, electronics, or brand-name goods at unbelievable prices. You pay, and nothing arrives, or you get a cheap knockoff.

What to do: Shop with stores you know, or look up an unfamiliar store's name with words like "scam" or "reviews" before buying. Be wary of brand-new websites, prices far below everywhere else, no real contact information, and sites that only accept unusual payment methods.

3. Gift card scams

A caller says they're from the government, a utility, tech support, or your bank and tells you to buy gift cards and read them the numbers. Once you do, the money is gone.

Another version: scammers tamper with gift cards on store racks so the money you load goes to them. What to do: Only give gift cards as gifts. Buy cards kept behind the counter when you can, check that the packaging and PIN strip aren't damaged, and keep your receipt.

4. Phony charities

Scammers use names that sound like real charities, especially after disasters and around the holidays. What to do: Look up any charity before you give, and give directly on the charity's own website rather than through a link someone sends you. See Check Before You Give.

5. The grandparent or family emergency scam

Someone calls, crying or panicked: "Grandma, it's me. I'm in trouble, please don't tell Mom." Some scammers now use AI to copy a loved one's voice. They ask for money right away, often in cash, gift cards, or a wire.

What to do: Hang up and call your family member, or another relative, at the number you already have. Many families agree on a secret code word to use in a real emergency.

6. Fake unpaid toll and bill texts

Texts claiming you owe an unpaid toll, a parking fine, or an overdue bill are very common. What to do: Don't click. If you're worried, check your account on the toll agency's or company's real website.

7. Puppy and pet scams

A sweet puppy for sale online, but the seller can't meet in person and keeps asking for more money for shipping or "vet fees." What to do: Meet the animal in person before paying, or adopt from a local shelter or rescue you can visit.

8. Fake job offers for holiday cash

"Earn $500 a day from home!" Offers to reship packages, "test" gift cards, or pay you before you do any work are often scams. Real jobs don't ask you to pay to start or to deposit a check and send some money back.

Simple habits that protect you

Pay with a credit card when shopping online. Credit cards generally offer stronger protection than debit cards if you need to dispute a charge.
Turn on alerts from your bank and card companies so you see every charge right away.
Check your statements weekly during the holidays.
Use strong passwords and two-step sign-in on shopping, email, and bank accounts.
Bring packages in quickly, or have them held at a post office or pickup locker.
Check card readers at gas pumps and ATMs for anything loose or that looks added on. Tap-to-pay is safer when it's offered.
Report spam texts by forwarding them to 7726 (SPAM), then delete them.

If you think you've been scammed

First, take a breath. Scammers are professionals, and they fool smart, careful people every day. There's no shame in it. Acting quickly can help.

Call your bank or card company right away using the number on the back of your card. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and to watch your account.
If you paid with a gift card, call the company that issued the card as soon as possible and tell them it was used in a scam. Keep the card and receipt.
Change your passwords if you entered them on a suspicious site, starting with email and banking.
Report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. For online crimes, you can also report to the FBI at ic3.gov.
If your identity was stolen, get a step-by-step recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov.

Need someone to talk it through with? The free AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline (1-877-908-3360) has trained volunteers who can help you figure out what happened and what to do next. You don't have to be an AARP member.

Watch out for "recovery" scams too. Anyone who contacts you offering to get your lost money back for a fee is likely another scammer.

Look out for each other

One of the kindest things you can do this season is share what you know. Talk with parents, grandparents, neighbors, and teens about these scams. Agree on a family code word. Offer to be the person someone can call before they send money to anyone. A two-minute call can save someone hundreds of dollars and a lot of heartache.

More help

The best gifts are given freely. Protecting yours, and helping the people you love protect theirs, is a gift too.

Sharing chances creates good karma 😃