Holiday or Not, These Scams Ignore Holiday Spirit

Published: December 18, 2025 on our newsletter Security Fraud News & Alerts Newsletter.

As the holiday season ramps up, so do scams—but make no mistake, these schemes run year-round. Cybercriminals simply turn up the volume when people are shopping more, traveling, and feeling generous. Four scams in particular continue to trap victims every month of the year, with a noticeable spike during holidays and major shopping seasons. And for good reason. We’re out and about, likely shopping more than normal, and in the giving spirit. 

Online shopping scams, especially those tied to social media ads, are among the most common, and often the easiest to fall for. Scammers create professional-looking ads offering deep discounts on popular items, or simply show an image of an item you just might be interested in buying. However, clicking the ad leads to a fake storefront designed to collect payment details and or your personal information. Victims either receive counterfeit goods, items that are not what they ordered, or nothing at all. 

To avoid this, be skeptical of prices that seem too good to be true, research unfamiliar sellers, and avoid making purchases directly through social media ads. If an item interests you, go directly to the website. If you are not familiar with the seller, do your own independent research first. Check reviews and ratings to make sure you want to put your trust in that website.

Toll road scams are also on the rise. We’ve likely all seen one of these. They usually arrive as text messages claiming you owe unpaid tolls and must pay immediately to avoid penalties. The links lead to fake payment pages that steal credit card or banking information. Don’t click the links, even if you are not sure you took that toll road or not. They’re not after that $6 toll. They’re after your payment card information to go on their own holiday shopping spree. Legitimate toll agencies don’t demand payment through random text messages, nor will they ask for crypto currency. If you’re unsure, check your toll account if you have one, directly through the official toll service website. If you don’t have an account, you can go online and check the official toll road page. Provide some information about your vehicle, most likely your license plate number, and you can see whether or not you do owe a toll.

Package delivery scams thrive during peak shipping periods. Fraudsters send texts or emails saying there’s a delivery issue that requires you to confirm details or pay a small fee. It might claim to be from FedEx, UPS, the USPS or any number of other delivery organizations. Clicking the link can install malware, steal payment information, or capture login credentials. Always track packages using numbers provided by the retailer, not links in messages. Typically, the vendor will contact you if there is a delivery problem, so start there. Otherwise, using information you find on your own, contact the company in the message and find out if it’s legitimate.

And oh those gift card scams. They are becoming more prevalent and the scammers know more of them will be sold to shoppers who just don’t know what the perfect gift for someone may be. Organized criminal organizations actually go to great lengths to pull of gift card scams. They actually record the gift card numbers and PINs on those cards hanging in those big carousels or walls in the stores. When the card is activated, they immediately drain it. If buying a gift card is in your plans, get one that is near the registers where more eyes are on it or consider e-gift cards. Keep receipts of any gift cards you buy and don’t toss them until you know the recipient is able to activate them. Even the time of purchase is important when reporting scams of this type. If you buy a card at 1pm and it’s spent by 1:01pm in another state, that’s a pretty good indicator that someone else used that card before you could get it into the mail.

Finally, charitable giving scams exploit generosity. Fake charities or impostors posing as real organizations pressure people to donate quickly. Holiday times often make people feel more in the giving spirit. While it’s never frown upon to donate to charities, before giving, verify the charity independently and never donate via unsolicited messages. If someone comes to your door or stops you at the shopping center, ask them for a business card or flyer and do your own research to determine if they are a real organization and one you’d like to donate to.

The best defense against these and most scams is slowing down, verifying before clicking, and remembering that urgency is often a scammer’s strongest weapon. If you feel pressured, it’s likely a scam.

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