‘You Better Watch out’ for Holiday Shopping Scams!

The Holiday Season is quickly approaching, and scammers ‘see you when you’re shopping online and know how to trick you out of your money! Here are some tips to help you avoid fraudulent retailers.  

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Maintain Your Account Awareness

Set up E-Alerts for your accounts and monitor your activity regularly. It’s especially important to monitor your accounts if you notice anything abnormal while performing online payments. Set up E-Alerts by logging in to your Digital Banking account at HighPointFCU.com.

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Don’t Purchase Anything Via Social Media Links

While you can find legitimate advertising on social media, it’s best to research the sale yourself via your browser, on the retailer’s official website.

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Don’t Click on Links in Email or Text Messages

Even if you’ve subscribed to a particular retailer, that doesn’t mean the ad you just received is legitimate. Scammers can duplicate or closely imitate advertisements from trusted companies.

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Only Use Gift Cards on Trusted Websites

If you have a gift card, be sure to use it with the retailer it’s associated with. If it’s a gift card that can be used anywhere, only use it on trusted websites. Do not use it in places like Craigslist. 

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Don’t Pay with Cryptocurrency or Wire Transfer

If you pay a scammer by either of these methods, you’ll likely never see that money again.

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When in Doubt, Use Your Credit Card

If you’re interested in purchasing from somewhere new, do your research to see if anyone has complained about the company. If there are no red flags, make the purchase with your credit card and save the confirmation. This way if there are any issues you can dispute the charges.

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Be Extra Suspicious of Deals that are Too Good to be True

If something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Validate the deal by navigating to the sale directly through the retailer, not through the link or ad you received.

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Report Scams Immediately!

If you make a payment to a fraudulent retailer, call your financial institution right away. You can contact High Point FCU by calling 800-854-6052. Then, report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and at IC3.gov/Home/FileComplaint. And lastly, inform your loved ones! If you fell for a scam, someone you care about could be next.