AARP: Watch Out For The 12 Scams Of Christmas

The 12 Days of Christmas can unfortunately come with a lot of dishonest people who want your money or personal information.  The AARP's Sean Voskuhl, says the 12 Scams of Christmas can include False Membership Renewals or Package Delivery Scams.

"You’ll get a text message claiming your package is on hold with a delivery service because of an issue," Voskuhl noted.  "Never click on links or call cell phone numbers from random text message.  Also, if you need to check a membership that’s supposedly up for renewal, go straight to the company website or give the business a direct phone call.”

You may also run into fake charity scams, especially as the holidays get closer.  Gift card scams are also popular as well.  Make sure you buy gift cards directly from a cashier or other store employee

“You may see Pet Scams, where they copy a photo of someone’s pet and ask you to pay to adopt the animal," he said.  "There are Romance Scams, where crooks send errant text messages as a way to begin a relationship. Don’t respond to someone you don’t know.”

We’ve also see videos of Porch Pirates stealing Amazon packages directly off people’s front porches.  There are AI scams in which crooks make fake videos of celebrities asking for money.  Plus, some have gotten phone calls from people pretending to be their bank and investigating supposed fraud. Go to the bank yourself and talk face to face.

"You could be subject to a Utility turn off scam, where people impersonate your utility company and threaten to cut off your service without an emergency payment. Hang up and call the utility company to see if there’s a problem," Voskuhl stressed.  "There’s the grandchild scam, where someone calls elderly folks pretending to be a grandchild in desperate need of money.”

Last but not least is a work-from-home scam.  He said you need to be wary of high pay with little experience needed or that require you to pay up front.

If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam. Learn more at the AARP's Website.

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