5 Holiday Scams You Should Know About

Unfortunately, there are many bad actors who land on the naughty list around the holiday season due to their scam and fraud attempts.  

“The holiday season creates the perfect storm for cybercriminals,” says Bill Lantry, Vice President of Fraud at General Electric Credit Union. “During this busy time of year people are rushing to meet deadlines, make plans, and attend events. Combine this with altered consumer habits and you have an environment that is ripe for cybercrime.” 

Educating yourself on fraud tactics is the best way to protect your hard-earned money. Below are a few common ones to look out for during the holidays. 

Familiarize yourself with 5 common holiday scams

1. Travel scams

Going on a trip or finally making your way to see friends and family this year? It’s wise to be cautious when booking travel plans online. According to the United States Congress Joint Economic Committee, consumers lose hundreds of millions of dollars a year in travel scams, and attempts increased by almost 30% in 2024.¹ 

“When a travel deal seems too good to be true, it is almost always a trap. Fraudsters rely heavily on the excitement of planning a vacation to cloud a traveler's judgment,” says Lantry. “Look out for fake vacation rentals, free vacation vouchers, deeply discounted airfares, and businesses that advertise as ‘Document and Visa Expeditors.’”

2. Charity scams

If you want to give this holiday season, it’s important to ensure your money or goods go to legitimate sources. Search for an organization's name on the Ohio Attorney General’s website. Results for a registered charity will show its name, employee identification number, and location. A listing in this data base is a sign the charity is legitimate. 

Also, be on the lookout for impersonators. A criminal may use an email, website URL, or social media page that’s spelled slightly different from an actual charity’s name.  

“To protect yourself from phishing attacks, never click links or open attachments from unexpected or unknown emails,” says Lantry. “Urgent language, generic greetings, offers that are too good to be true, and mismatched sender addresses are all indicative of potential phishing attacks.” 

3. Retail scams

Fake retail scams involve fraudulent websites, social media ads, or online marketplaces that pose as legitimate retailers to trick consumers into making purchases. Scammers often lure shoppers with heavily discounted prices, hard-to-find products, or limited-time deals, then either deliver counterfeit or inferior items, steal payment information, or fail to send any product at all.  

These scams are especially common during peak shopping seasons when consumers may feel pressure to act quickly without fully vetting a seller. 

“Online shoppers should only patronize reputable merchants and should always verify secure website links. Only use a credit card when making purchases online,” says Lantry.

4. Failed delivery scams

With so many homeowners eagerly awaiting their packages during the holiday season, criminals think they have a good chance of successfully executing a “USPS Failed Delivery Notification” scam.  

You’ll receive an email or text message from a fake USPS contact that alleges they were unable to deliver a package. The message will prompt you to open a link for updated delivery, which will activate a virus on your device. This program can steal your personal information for future use. Login to the official USPS, FedEx, or UPS sites to safely check the status of any in-route packages. 

5. Social engineering scams

The holiday season can be lonely for some, and scammers like to take advantage of their desire for human connection. This is known as a “sweetheart scam.” If you connect with someone over social media, pay attention to how fast a relationship is developing. 

“The telltale sign of a sweetheart scam is a very quickly developing romance that involves an extreme level of affection and compliments,” says Lantry. “Red flags include avoiding meeting in person (or FaceTime) and moving all communication to an alternate social media platform such Telegram or Signal. The pursuer eventually concocts a story in which they are in desperate need of money, which they promise to pay back.” 

Keep the season merry, bright, and scam-free by keeping up to date on the latest fraud tactics. We invite you to share this information and tips with your loved ones—particularly any seniors in your life, who are often targeted by bad actors.   

General Electric Credit Union (GECU) can help you stay on top of fraudulent account activity and identity theft with the following features:

• Online Banking and our mobile app.² Online Banking and our mobile app give you 24/7/365 access to your transaction history. You’ll see cleared and pending transactions in real-time, helping you spot suspicious activity faster.
• Debit Card Controls. Instantly turn your card off/on for peace of mind.
• ID Navigator Powered by NortonLifeLock™. All GECU credit cards come armed with ID Navigator Powered by NortonLifeLock. This tool monitors the dark web for your information, alerts you to data breaches, and assists you in the event of a stolen wallet. Verify your eligibility online.
• Don’t wait for your statements to arrive via the mail. eStatements, available through secure Online Banking and the GECU mobile app, limits the number of physical documents with your banking or personal information on them. Pitching these without shredding poses a security risk.