Holiday Scams Are on the Rise: How to Protect Yourself This Season

Learn how to spot holiday scams, protect your accounts, and keep your personal information safe with tips from Commonwealth Credit Union.

Holiday Scams Are on the Rise!

The holiday season is a time for celebration, gift-giving, and spending time with loved ones. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the busiest times of year for scammers. As online shopping, charitable giving, and holiday travel increase, fraudsters look for opportunities to steal personal information and money.

At Commonwealth Credit Union, protecting our members is a top priority. We continuously monitor emerging threats and provide resources to help keep your accounts and personal information secure. [ccuky.org], [ccuky.org]

Common Holiday Scams and How to Avoid Them

Fake Online Stores

Scammers often create websites that appear legitimate and advertise popular products at unbelievably low prices. These sites may collect your payment information, send counterfeit products, or never deliver anything at all.

How to protect yourself:

Shop with trusted retailers.
Research unfamiliar websites before making purchases.
Be cautious of deals that seem too good to be true.
Monitor your accounts regularly for unauthorized transactions.

Delivery and Package Scams

During the holidays, fraudsters frequently send fake text messages and emails claiming there's a problem with a package delivery. These messages often contain links designed to steal your information.

According to Commonwealth Credit Union, phishing scams commonly arrive through email, phone calls, and text messages that appear to come from legitimate organizations. [ccuky.org]

How to protect yourself:

Never click links in unexpected delivery notifications.
Track packages directly through the retailer or shipping carrier.
Verify suspicious messages by contacting the company directly.

Phone and Text Message Scams

Scammers may impersonate financial institutions, government agencies, law enforcement, or other trusted organizations to pressure you into providing personal information. [ccuky.org], [ccuky.org]

Remember: Commonwealth Credit Union will never ask you to provide passwords, PINs, account numbers, or other confidential information through a text message, phone call, or link. [ccuky.org]

Charity Scams

The spirit of giving makes the holiday season a prime time for fake charities. Fraudsters may create convincing websites or social media campaigns to collect donations that never reach a legitimate cause.

How to protect yourself:

Research charities before donating.
Donate through official websites.
Be wary of high-pressure requests for immediate contributions.

Gift Card Scams

Gift cards are one of the most requested forms of payment by scammers because they are difficult to trace.

Red flag: If someone asks you to pay a bill, fee, or debt with gift cards, it's likely a scam.

Romance and Grandparent Scams

Holiday emotions can make people particularly vulnerable to emotional manipulation. Romance scams and grandparent scams often create a sense of urgency or crisis to convince victims to send money. [ccuky.org]

How to protect yourself:

Verify stories independently before sending money.
Avoid sharing account information with people you have only met online.
Talk with trusted family members before responding to urgent financial requests.

Holiday Security Tips

Follow these simple steps to help keep your information safe:

Use strong, unique passwords on all accounts.
Enable multi-factor authentication whenever possible.
Monitor your accounts and transactions frequently.
Avoid clicking suspicious links or attachments.
Keep your devices and software updated.
Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it probably is.

Holiday Scams Are on the Rise: How to Protect Yourself This Season