BOSTON — The holiday season is full of real-life Grinches who will look to scam you out of the magic of the season, Boston Police said Friday.
Police are warning local residents to watch out for scammers looking to make a quick steal.
“Fraudsters will look to take advantage,” police said in a series of several public safety alerts on Black Friday warning people of various scams.
Boston Police warned the public about the most common holiday scams and offered the following tips:
- Gift card scams: These come in several forms. Scammers will instruct victims to purchase cards then send them the serial number and PIN on the back. Scammers will also scratch the film strip off the back to get the PIN; cover it with a replacement sticker; then, wait for a victim to load it. Scammers can also steal the value remotely by using malicious software.
- Mail delivery scams: Fraudsters will send phishing texts or emails informing customers that a delivery could not be completed and to follow a link or to call a phone number. No links should be clicked. Delivery companies (FedEx, UPS, USPS, Amazon) will never ask for social security numbers or credit card numbers for delivery purposes.
- Holiday phishing attempts: Phishing emails are nothing new to your inbox. But you’re likely to see an increase in these attempts over the holiday season. Scammers will send emails impersonating legitimate companies (Amazon, Apple) offering “giveaways” or warning accounts (company, bank) are being compromised.
- “Free Gift Cards” offers: Scammers usually offer these in exchange for information. Treat these phishing emails with caution. Do not click any strange links or websites as they can contain malware. Look for clues that the emails are fake: spelling mistakes, grammar, formatting errors.
- Temporary holiday job offers: The Better Business Bureau warns that in 2023, temporary holiday jobs were “the number one riskiest scam for people ages 18-44.” Scammers will advertise online temporary positions for holiday work by impersonating legitimate companies. Employers will never ask for payment for supplies, applications or training fees. Job seekers should be wary of big money for these positions and are advised to never work for a company before being hired.
- Online shopping scams: The Better Business Bureau warns shoppers against an increase in fake websites or personal sellers offering discounts this holiday season. Fake ads posted on social media sites show expensive or in high demand products at unbelievably low prices, luring in potential victims. Scammers create bogus sites stealing photos and logos from legitimate businesses to obtains PII, credit card information or send shoppers a cheap counterfeit product.
When buying gift cards, police said to avoid the kiosks and purchase one from behind a counter or online from a legitimate store, such as Target or Target.com, for example.
If you find yourself to be a victim of a scam, report it to your local police department, investigators advised.
You can also report holiday scams to the Federal Trade Commission and to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.
If the scammers obtained your Social Security number, go to IdentityTheft.gov to see what steps to take next, including how to monitor your credit.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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