Criminals 'don't take holidays off' says FBI in advising public to be vigilant amid seasonal scams

Nov. 26 (UPI) -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation says the American public should be vigilant this holiday season with a reported uptick in scams that target shoppers and charitable donors.

"Criminals don't take holidays off," said Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp of the FBI's San Francisco field office on Monday in a release.

According to the FBI, criminals have been actively exploiting this busy shopping period by using "increasingly sophisticated" tactics in order to steal money and other personal information. And the federal agency offered specifics on how the public can protect themselves as it outlined a number of current and ongoing scams targeted at Americans.

"We're seeing scammers employing aggressive and creative schemes to take advantage of the season's generosity and high online shopping activity," the California-based FBI agent Tripp said.

A study released by McAfee last year suggested that 36% of Americans had fallen victim to an online shopping scam during the holiday season.

The FBI identified a series of prevailing scams this year, including a number of online shopping ones, such as fraudulent websites or ads that appear to offer goods at an unrealistic discount or an item purchased via a third-party marketplace using stolen credit cards or accounts.

Different kinds of scams

"Crooks prepare all year for the holiday shopping season, taking advantage of increased activity and consumers who let their guard down searching for the perfect gift," Paul Fabara, Visa's chief risk officer, said last year on the topic.

"Puppy scams," meanwhile, reported losses of $5.6 million so far this year that involve fake advertisements for pets.

A charity scam ultimately will likely solicit for a donation via phone, email, crowdfunding or on social media. The FBI advised to also be on the lookout for "copycat organizations" that will mimic a legitimate charity in order to siphon money off a victim.

Ongoing cryptocurrency scams -- with victims unable to retrieve funds typically at substantial losses -- will come in the form of a fraudster posing as a trusted individual whose aim is to convince a victim to invest in a fake cryptocurrency platform.

A gift card scammer will request a potential victim to purchase a gift card for an alleged emergency, a work-related function, for payment or other fraudulent reasons. A gift card scam may also involve a tampered or otherwise compromised card with security stickers or altered barcodes, according to the FBI.

Meanwhile, a scam on social media very well may take the form of a post that will offer a fake gift card or event ticket in order to steal personal information. Would be-fraudsters, the FBI said, will duplicate ticket barcodes intended for resale.

Protect yourself

The FBI says a U.S. citizen who thinks they have been a victim of a scam is advised to "immediately contact" the personal bank or financial institution, report the incident to law enforcement and then file a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

But in order to get out-smart the fraudsters, the FBI advised the public to verify websites and other offers, saying that "if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is."

Always be skeptical of requests, the agency added, especially ones claiming to be from a U.S. government official or agency.

"Government agencies or law enforcement will never demand payments via phone, email or gift cards," the FBI stated Tuesday.

Avoid clicking on suspicious links or ads on the Internet and secure your personal accounts by using a strong, unique password for all banking, shopping and other personal accounts.

Also inspect your gift cards to check for signs of tampering, such as a misaligned packaging or scratched-off security codes.

And donate wisely to the charity of your choice by verifying its legitimacy through a trusted source, and avoid donating to those soliciting donations via gift cards or wire transfers.

It added that the agency is "committed to protecting the public from fraud and ensuring a safe holiday season."

"By staying informed and vigilant, shoppers and donors can help stop scammers in their tracks," according to officials.