With the holiday season already here, the Better Business Bureau has listed the top 12 scams of Christmas.

Wes Lafortune, Media and Communications Specialist at the Better Business Bureau, wants to make sure everybody shops safe especially when lots of online shopping is done this time of year.

“Many of the scams on this list are facilitated through emails and social media platforms, however, the latter is where most people are vulnerable.”

The 12 scams of Christmas according to Wes Lafortune and the Better Business Bureau:

  1. Misleading social ads. You get something saying you've signed up for some sort of product, which you haven't. It often says it's free or a free trial and they want you to click on a link. It's a fraud or scam.
  2. Gift exchanges over social media. These are known as Ponzi Schemes and are illegal. They'll exchange a $10 gift or wine and you're then asked to pay it forward.
  3. Holiday apps. They might ask for a nominal fee and/or your credit card information. Not all these are scams, but some of them are. A good rule anytime you're giving your personal and credit card information is to be very careful about what you're clicking on.
  4. Get notifications that your account has been compromised. This is a scam artist contacting you asking you to click on the link which takes you to a place where it'll gather information about you.
  5. Free gift cards. In some of these emails, the scammer will try to impersonate legitimate companies, such as Starbucks, and promise gift cards to customers. You want to be very careful of these kinds of offers. If you're unsure, don't open it.
  6. Temporary holiday jobs. Some of these offers are legitimately looking for employees, but some are fake. The BBB says is to check the website of a company, call the Human Resources Department, and do your research. Make sure it's a legitimate company that's actually out there.
  7. Fake charities. They'll have a website that looks very much like a legitimate charity website, but it's a fake. Again, the BBB recommends you do your research, look for that HTTPS in the URL or the web address, and call the charity directly.
  8. Fake shipping notifications. A scammer will tell you that, supposedly, something's been shipped from one of the big companies and they need more information to complete the delivery. Many of these are fakes and what's called a phishing scam with a fake link that's trying to gather information about you. Don't click on those. You can always call the company directly to ask if there has been something shipped legitimately and if there's a problem with delivery.
  9. Pop up virtual events. Somebody online will have an online event and might ask for a nominal fee for entry. They might ask you to provide the fee upfront. Oftentimes, it's a scammer gathering credit card information and personal information. If you're unsure about an entry fee, contact the event organizers directly to make sure the event is real.
  10. A wish list scam. A scammer will offer various things at very low prices. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
  11. Puppy scam. Scammers have targeted about 400 different product categories out there regarding pets. The most popular scams are with pets and pet supplies; with puppies topping that list. A scammer will post an online ad for an animal that doesn't really exist, demanding a 'deposit' upfront before you can see or meet the animal they're selling. The BBB recommends you do not buy a puppy at Christmas time, but if you do, never give money to someone before meeting or seeing the animal yourself. Take time to do your research, get to know a local breeder, and develop a relationship if you can visit the breeder in person.
  12. Look-Alike Websites. The holiday season brings endless emails offering deals, sales and bargains. Be wary of emails with links enclosed. Some may lead to look-alike websites created by scammers to trick people into downloading malware, making dead-end purchases, and sharing private information.

Lafortune went on to talk about the best way to see if a website is secure and real.

“In relation to a website, look in the URL, look for the HTTPS, and the “s” part means secure.

Lafortune continued on saying It's a great opportunity for everyone to shop locally, buy from a local retailer or business.

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