December 15, 2021
Carson City, NV – Nevada Attorney General Aaron
D. Ford warns consumers to stay vigilant during the holiday season and during
Identity Theft Protection Awareness month this December.
“Nevada consumers should be on alert for
various holiday scams, so they don’t end up losing holiday cheer as the year
winds to a close,” said AG Ford. “During the holidays, scammers take
advantage as people are feeling more festive and generous to use more schemes
to steal consumers’ identities and money.”
The Office of the Nevada Attorney General’s
Bureau of Consumer Protection advises Nevadans to protect their money and
identities this holiday season by being on the lookout for the following scams:
Holiday-Themed Apps: While many holiday-themed apps
are legitimate and can be a fun way to send your wish list to Santa, parents
should review all apps for what information is being collected before allowing
kids to download them. Check the privacy policies for each of the apps before
downloading. Set strong permissions so that kids cannot make in-app purchases.
Be aware that free apps often have more ads, and the ads may not be suitable
for all age groups. Other apps may actually be malware designed to steal your
personal information. Read through reviews prior to downloading.
Fake shipping notifications: With the influx of shipping
during the holiday season, distracted purchasers may not notice a fake delivery
notification. Scammers may send out texts or emails containing what looks to be
a tracking link but may be a fake website to obtain your personal information.
Rather than click on the link, go to the delivery carrier’s or the retailer’s
site directly to track your package by entering the tracking number from your
invoice. Keep track of what you have purchased with tracking numbers so that
you can check on your own periodically.
Made-up Holiday Events: The holidays bring a plethora
of in-person and virtual holiday events, and, with those are made-up events
designed to steal credit card information or money. Scammers may create fake
event pages and social media posts with links to purchase tickets for an
activity that will never happen. For one-time events that require you to pay in
advance, do your research to find out if an event is real before purchasing a
ticket. If you decide to make that purchase, consider using a credit card,
which offers greater protections in the event you have to dispute the charge
later.
Holiday Temp Work Scams: Temporary holiday positions
offer a great chance to earn money to buy gifts for everyone on your list, but
some nefarious people may use the opportunity to create a scheme to steal money
and personal information from job applicants. Be wary of jobs that don’t
require an interview or are offered only online; this may be an attempt to
steal your personal information. Additionally, employers should not ask for
payment ahead of time, such as for job supplies, applications or training fees.
Look out for jobs that ask you to complete complex projects before making you
an employment offer. These are red flags that the offer of employment may not
be what it seems.
Sham charities: As the year winds to a close and people are feeling festive,
donations to charities increase over the holidays. Unscrupulous individuals may
take advantage of this non-Scrooge-like behavior by creating sham charities.
While some of these charities may solely be an attempt to separate you from
your hard-earned cash, others may only be contributing a small portion of your
donation to the cause they are purporting to support. As always, do your
homework on charities before donating using tools such as Charity
Navigator, GuideStar or a simple internet search.
Be wary of high-pressure donation tactics, as legitimate charities will accept
a donation at any time.
If you believe you have been a victim of a
holiday scam, you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and the Office of the Nevada Attorney
General. You can also file a police report with local law enforcement.
Include as much information as possible with your complaint.
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