Fraud-Fighting Tips for the Holiday Season

The holidays are a time for giving and making memories, but it’s also an opportune time for scammers to take advantage of online shoppers, donors, and charities. Use these tips to help protect yourself from fraud this holiday season.

Online Shopping
Doing your holiday shopping online can help beat the crowds, as well as save time and money. However, scammers know that online shopping is popular during this busy time.

• Check the Website’s Safety
  Look at the URL in the address bar for “https://.” The “s” after “http” means the site has an added layer of encryption to any communication between your browser and the website server. Check the URL for misspellings like using a zero instead of an O or an extra letter. A padlock symbol in the address bar can also indicate it’s a secure site (but it’s not a guaranteed indicator).
  
  Also, look at the whole website for typos, grammar mistakes, wrong or no contact information, low-resolution graphics, and excessive pop-up ads or links to click on.
   
• Shop on Secure WiFi
  Do your online shopping on a secure, password-protected network rather than a public WiFi, where your information is more accessible to hackers. Also, consider using a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt your data while connected to the internet to add an extra layer of security.
   
• Limit Autofill
  Manually enter your payment information instead of using autofill. If your computer gets hacked, autofill will make it easier for the hacker to get your personal and financial information.
   
• Avoid Fake Ads
  There are a ton of deals online this time of year, which means you’ll likely get a lot of ads and promotions on social media and in your email. Be cautious of what you click on; if the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Deliveries
The holidays are a busy time of year for delivery companies as many people are getting their gifts shipped. Scammers are betting on the sensitive timing and influx of deliveries the holidays bring. Consider these tips to avoid delivery scams:

• Outsmart Delivery Scam Texts
  These texts appear to be from a delivery service like UPS and say there’s an issue with a package delivery. They often have a link to click on asking you to update payment information, reschedule the delivery, or claim your package. Don’t click on any links in the message, and if you’re unsure of the text’s validity, call the delivery service directly to verify the text.
   
• Debunk Fake Order Confirmations
  These texts, emails, or calls try to get personal information by making you think an order has been placed and your account will be charged. They instruct you to call or click a link to cancel the order. These notifications often try to create a sense of urgency.

Charities
The holidays are often a time people like to give to those less fortunate, so scammers take advantage of this and use fake charities to get personal information or payments.

• Always verify the legitimacy of donation requests by calling the charity directly or looking them up on give.org.
• Avoid donating over the phone.
• Ask about their mission, goals, and how they will use your donation. If they struggle to answer, it’s a big red flag.
• Look for a privacy policy on their website or ask them about it. Most reputable charities will ensure your information won’t be sold or shared with third parties.

Money Transfers
Scammers lure people in with popular items at a discounted price and request a Zelle^® or Venmo payment or ask for gift cards as payment. These scams are common on platforms like Facebook Marketplace, vacation rentals on Airbnb or Vrbo, and dog breeder websites during this time of year.

• Always communicate on a trusted platform or app. If someone wants to talk or take payment outside of the platform, it’s a red flag.
• Avoid paying people you don’t know and trust on apps like Zelle^® or Venmo.
• Pay on a trusted site after you’ve verified that what you’re buying is legitimate.
• Never agree to pay for an item before receiving it.
• Don’t make a rushed decision; research who you’re buying from and what they’re selling first.

Think You’ve Been Scammed?
We’ll do our best to notify you if we suspect fraudulent activity on your Arrowhead accounts, but there are a few things you can do to monitor your accounts as well.

• Set alerts on your accounts, for transactions such as purchases or withdrawals over a certain dollar amount or when checks have cleared.
• If you’re traveling for the holidays, let us know your plans by setting a travel notice in digital banking.
• If your card is lost or stolen, temporarily block your card until you can find or replace it. You can always stop by any Arrowhead branch, and we will print you a new card on the spot.¹
• Contact us immediately at (800) 743-7228. If it is after hours, and you're worried you may have fraud on your Visa^® Debit card, call (800) 847-2911.

Follow these holiday tips to prevent fraud and keep your funds safe so you can focus on giving and making memories with your loved ones. Happy Holidays!

1 Fees may apply.