Beware Of These Holiday Shopping Scams

Ahead of the busy holiday shopping season, Visa’s Payment Ecosystem Risk and Control (PERC) team published a security alert that reveals the scams and fraud tactics that consumers need to be aware of to keep the happy in their holidays.

All They Want For Christmas… is You:

This year, fraudsters are looking for dynamic information to help compromise your account. As many financial apps require one-time-passcodes to log in, scammers are trying to phish for those codes. Fraudsters are posing as bank and government employees to call to “confirm” the code — and then using the code to take over the account, taking both your money and data.

Scammer Claus is Comin’ to Town:

Cyber-crooks are also creating spoofed apps or websites to trick consumers into giving up their data. In fact, PERC has seen an increase in crooks spoofing the iconic Santa tracker with malware which, when downloaded, infects devices and steals info like logins or payment data.

Hark! The Herald Scammers Steal:

This year, due to the increased security and investment in payment networks, physical theft is on the rise. Scammers are looking to steal credit cards and phones in crowded holiday markets, malls and stores, hoping to make a purchase before you notice you’ve been robbed. A new scam called “digital pickpocketing” is where scammers use mobile point-of-sales to conduct fraudulent contactless transactions by tapping against a person’s phone, wallet or purse.

Over the River and Through the Woods, to Spoil Travel Plans:

With millions traveling during the holidays, scammers target hotel, vacation and airline industries to steal data and money. Fake travel websites, which lure customers with low prices, upcharge for amenities and then cut off communication with would-be-travelers, leaving them stranded and out of money. Call center scams use malvertising to promote fake sites, leading to victims chatting with “customer service” to steal payment details and personal information. Another scam fraudsters are using this holiday season involves a fraudster impersonating a travel company to send a false cancellation email, asking for credit card information to “rebook” a flight.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year to Stay Secure.

Taking a few simple steps during this season can help make your holidays merrier. First, always verify the URLs of the websites that you visit ­— make sure you verify that you’re on a retailer or bank’s official website and that the web address has an “https” in front of the site. Be cautious of deals that seem too good to be true, and be wary of being asked to pay through methods like cryptocurrency, wire transfers and gift cards. Take a moment to sign up for purchase alerts on your accounts to get real-time notifications of all transactions and flag anything unrecognized to your bank immediately.

At Visa, we work 24x7x365 to protect the digital economy from scammers. We have invested more than $11 billion in the last five years on technology that helps keep your payments safe. We’re in this together. Have a safe and happy holiday this season.