The hustle and bustle of the Holiday season has officially arrived and it’s easy to get caught up in the joy and cheer of it all. Unfortunately, scammers can see this as an opportunity to target unsuspecting victims. Check out some tips below to make sure your holidays are full of family, friends and food – not fraud.
Use caution on public WiFi
Only connect to known WiFi networks – Beware of WiFi network names that have typos, extra characters, or no password protection. Click here to learn more.
A bargain isn’t a bargain if it costs you in the end
Before you jump on what you think may be a good deal, make sure you’re not heading to a point of no return.
- Check a store’s return and exchange policy before making a purchase. Those policies can vary from store to store, and they have been changing from year to year.
- Save all your receipts. Keep them in one place.
- Think very carefully about buying extended warranties. If the warranty isn’t backed directly by the company that made the product, you may be wasting your money. Extended warranty companies could just be taking your cash.
Check your statements and credit regularly
Keep a close eye on your credit card and bank statements. That way you can see any suspicious activity on your accounts and report it as fraud. Look over all your transactions so that you can spot any that may look unfamiliar, no matter how small the amount. This can help stop what could otherwise be long-term fraud.
Make sure you’re shopping on a secure website
If you are shopping online, make sure you’re shopping on a secure website. When you’re making a purchase, look for the security lock and “https” in the web browser before you submit your credit card information. Other online shopping tips are:
- Don’t click on unsolicited links. If you go shopping on an unfamiliar website and start seeing pop-up ads and links, stay away. They can only lead you to bad places.
- Confirm that the website you’re browsing is real and the one you want. Look for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes, as these are red flags that you could be on a fake website. Also, be very skeptical of any links you see on social media. Scammers will make fake websites that look like the real thing.
- Check the privacy policy of a website before you buy. That policy isn’t exciting, but it could tell you if your personal information will be sold to other companies.
- When you’re shopping on a website, go down to the very bottom of the page and look for the company’s physical address. If you can’t find an address or location, that’s a warning sign of a scam.
Protect Yourself
When is the last time you had your insurance reviewed? Now is the time take a look at it. TopLine Insurance Agency is an independent agency which allows you to shop around with numerous carriers to find you the best possible rate and not compromise on the coverage. TopLine Insurance Agency offers a variety of insurance options to protect the things that matter most. Whether you need essential life, home and auto insurance or extra umbrella coverage on specific property, TopLine can help you get the right plan at the lowest premiums available.
For more information on financial scams, be sure to check out TopLine’s Financial Scams page to learn more and stay up to date on how to protect yourself. Also be sure to check out the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) who frequently updates their list on scams that consumers may fall victim to. Spot a scam? Report it to keep yourself and others safe.
