9 Common 2024 Holiday Scams and 7 Quick Tips to Protect Your Hard-Earned Money

The holiday season is just around the corner but as excitement fills the air, so do holiday scams, with cybercriminals looking to ruin the season’s cheer. Scammers are getting smarter and so is Google.

9 Common Holiday Scams Rampant in 2024

Gmail is implementing cutting-edge AI technology to protect its billions of users from phishing, spam, and malware as mentioned in Google’s latest Blog post. However, we got our own list of common 2024 holiday scams and how to protect yourself against it.

1. Gift Card Scams

One of the most common holiday frauds is scammers asking for payment through gift cards. They might portray someone you trust, such as a family member, colleague, or a friend. The scam typically starts with an urgent message requesting you to purchase a gift card and share the code. The message will claim it’s for a quick payment or an emergency. Once the code is shared, your money will be gone from your account.

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2. Fake Delivery Notifications

Many people expect package deliveries, especially during the holiday season and scammers take advantage of this. They send fake notifications via email or text, often claiming to be from well-known delivery services. These messages might ask you to click on a link to “reschedule” or “track” your package. But in reality, these links will lead you to phishing sites designed to steal your personal information or install malware.

3. Holiday Job Scams

Many temporary job openings are available during the holiday season. Scammers take advantage of this by creating fake job ads. These ads often promise high pay for minimal work and require you to provide sensitive personal information or even pay an advance fee to secure the job. Once you do that, they vanish with your money or misuse your details for identity theft.

4. Vacation Rental Scams

Holidays means trips which means staycation plans. Scammers list fake vacation properties online at unbelievably low rates. They lure you into paying advance using limited time deals to secure the booking, and then you realize later that the property doesn’t even exist or is unavailable.

5. Social Media Giveaway Scams

Frauds set up fake social media pages or accounts and promise holiday giveaways for luxury items or cash prizes. They often ask for personal details, and credit card information, or ask you to share the post widely to “qualify.” These scams are designed to take over your personal data or spread malware.

7. Invoice Scams

Scammers send fake invoices in the mail to trick people into calling them to dispute the charges, using the conversation as a way to convince victims to pay. These scams are especially growing during the holiday season, targeting innocent people.

8. Celebrity Scams

Celebs are all the rage on social media these days and fans usually buy stuff recommended by them. Scammers use this to their advantage by falsely claiming endorsements or messages from the celebrity and promoting unrealistic or fraudulent offers. These scams build trust smartly by using famous names to trick victims into believing that if this is real it can be trusted. These are usually fake accounts with AI images and even videos that look quite real.

9. Extortion Scams

Victims receive threatening emails with personal details like their home address or even photos of their home. The scams typically involve threats of physical harm or the release of sensitive material acquired through hacking, creating fear and urgency to force victims into paying the demanded money.

7 Quick Tips to Protect Yourself from Holiday Scams This Christmas

You know how the scams work. Now, understand how to protect yourself from common scams.

1. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) First

One of the best ways to secure your accounts is by enabling two-factor authentication (2FA). This extra layer of security requires more than just a password—often a code sent to your phone or email, making it much harder for scammers to gain unauthorized access. Gmail offers this feature for free and it’s an essential tool for protecting personal information.

2. Stay Updated

Scammers are constantly evolving their methods, so it’s important to stay informed about the latest scams tricks. Keep your device’s software and apps updated, as security patches can fix vulnerabilities that might be exploited by scammers. Follow reputable sources and tech blogs for the latest scam warnings and advice.

3. Beware of Suspicious Links

Scammers often use links that look similar to official websites to trick you into entering personal information. Always move your cursor over links before clicking them to verify the destination URL. If you’re unsure about a link, don’t click it. Instead, go directly to the website by typing the URL into your browser.

4. Take Your Time

Scammers often create a sense of urgency to pressure you into acting quickly. They might use words like “urgent,” “immediate,” or “deactivate” to make you feel like you need to respond right away. Slow down, take a step back, and think things through. It’s always better to double-check than rush into a decision.

5. Double-Check the Details

Before acting on any email, it is important to verify the information. Does what they’re saying make sense? Can you confirm the sender’s email address is legit? Do some quick research to see if the email matches up with anything official or credible. If the scammer is pretending to be your family member or friend, try calling them directly.

6. Don’t Send Anything!

No legitimate company or person will ever ask for payment or personal details on the spot, especially through unnecessary emails. If you’re being asked for money or sensitive information without any verification, simply don’t send it or else confirm first.

7. Report Suspicious Emails

If you come across anything that seems fishy, mark it as spam. This not only keeps your inbox clean but also helps protect others by preventing scammers from reaching more victims.

In conclusion, as Google is taking a lot of measures to protect users from scammers with the help of AI, we should also keep ourselves safe by staying vigilant and informed as it is the best defense against the rising wave of scams, especially during the holiday season. By following these simple yet effective steps, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to fraudulent schemes.

Anchit srivastava

Working as a Tech Writer at Tech Wiser, I’m passionate about technology since childhood. I enjoy discussing it with friends, exploring new techs, and analyzing features in Android, iOS, and other technologies. My goal is to simplify complex information about current and emerging technologies, making them more accessible and understandable to people interested in learning more.