Holiday Scams In Illinois: What to Watch Out For This Season

As the holidays roll in (Thanksgiving is in 2 weeks, Christmas in 42 days), we all look forward to festive gatherings, gift-giving, and if we get lucky, a little downtime.

Unfortunately for many in Illinois and across the nation, this time of year also means a rise in scams designed to catch shoppers off-guard. Between online deals, holiday hires, charitable giving, and seasonal distractions, scammers are ready. They know what's worked in the past, and they're ready to do it all over again.

To help you, your friends, and family stay safe and keep your money and information, here are the major scams being worked here in Illinois and elsewhere to keep an eye on, along with how to protect yourself.

Scams Are Being Used On Victims Year Round, But Scammers Really Go All In On The Holidays

Let's start with fake online shopping and too-good-to-be-true deals.

With increased online shopping comes increased risk. Scammers post big discounts, fake websites, or even bogus apps to lure you in, then they harvest your card details or completely disappear after you've made payment. Protect yourself by sticking to trusted retailers, verify the URL (look for “https”), pay by credit card not debit card, and never save your card info on sketchy sites.

Next, we come to package delays and "free" holiday offers.

You may receive a text or e-mail saying “Your package is delayed, click here” or “Free holiday offer, download this app.”  Don't do it with either one. These are often phishing attempts. A good rule for avoiding being scammed is if you weren’t expecting it, don’t click it. Go directly to the retailer’s site or app to verify. Delete suspicious messages.

Don't Worry (Although You Should), There Are Plenty More Scams Where Those Came From

Next, we have gift card fraud and tampered cards.

Gift cards are holiday-popular, and for good reason. But scammers love them, too. Some load stolen cards then return them, or tamper with PINs, or offer “too good to be true” cards online. To protect yourself, buy cards from a trusted retailer, examine packaging, check that the PIN is covered, and consider picking the cards up from the cashier rather than a retail rack.

Then comes a particularly mean scam involving jobs.

If you’re looking for extra income this season or know someone who is, beware of fake job-offers that ask for upfront payment or personal information. Scammers will pose as big companies, promise “work-from-home seasonal jobs,” then ask for your SSN or bank details. Always remember that real employers don’t ask to pay you to work. Do your homework by verifying the company, checking job boards/sites, and never paying for a job.

Then Comes The Most Heartbreaking Scam Of The Holiday Season, Back Again To Cause More Pain This Year

That scam is the Puppy Scam, and it's pretty cruel.

Many families look to add a pet during the holidays. But the puppy scam uses fake listings of adorable animals, stolen photos, and promises of shipping for “just the shipping fee.”

Once you pay, the puppy never arrives, or worse, you’re asked for additional fees. The Better Business Bureau estimates pet-scam losses are large, and the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association warns holiday-pet-ads are particularly risky. Thousands have been brought to tears over what happens during a puppy scam.

To avoid having this happen to you, make sure that you meet the animal in person (or via live video), verify the breeder or shelter, never wire funds or use gift cards, and do a reverse-image search of the photo to check if it’s used elsewhere.