With online shopping on the rise during the holidays, the FBI warns that the giving season is also a prime time for criminals looking to steal packages, personal information and money.
Among the most common scams:
- No-delivery scams where buyers pay for items that never arrive
- No-payment scams, where sellers ship goods but never get paid
- Gift card fraud, when fraudsters request payment via prepaid gift cards
- Fraudulent text messages with fake links and tracking numbers
“Oddly enough, these text messages are often targeted at older individuals,” said Jarrett Janako, owner of the UPS Store in Fairmount, Philadelphia. “It’s hard to tell if they are real or fake. I suggest you take them to your local UPS store so an associate can verify them.”
Janako, who recently opened a second UPS location in South Philadelphia just in time for the holiday rush, says his team is working to protect the community from porch pirates and other scams by offering package storage and secure mailbox services.
“Mailboxes are essential, especially during the holidays,” says Janako. “You can use our address and your packages will be safe. You won’t have to worry about someone stealing them off your porch.”
To stay safe this holiday season, the FBI recommends the following:
- Use strong, unique and complex passwords.
- Double-check the legitimacy of websites and links.
- Use a credit card instead of a debit card when shopping online.
Aziza Shuller
