Better Business Bureau: It’s the time for online holiday scams
Don't fall for phishing rip-offs
It’s that time again. A joyous season of buying gifts for friends and loved ones.
It’s also the time for holiday phishing scams.
One thing you should do is watch your e-mails and text messages for any unsolicited offers, gifts and messages that seem out of the ordinary.
“These messages may claim that you have a free gift waiting for you or a problem with delivery and all you need to do is click a link and enter in your personal information ” says Whitney Quick of the Better Business Bureau.
“One recent phishing con comes in the form of a message, usually a text message, from a source claiming to be Amazon, calling to fix an issue with your account,” she adds.
But it’s really a rip-off. The message is a scam, designed to get your credit card and banking numbers or to convince you to give them total access to your computer to “fix” a problem that doesn’t exist.
Quick says once scammers have access to your computer and know your banking numbers, they can make purchases in your name.
She says especially around the holidays, you should beware of any messages asking for your personal information.