The holiday season is officially upon us. From holiday shopping to traveling to see loved ones, there is plenty to get done and TXSMP is here with you every step of the way. The holidays are prime time for scammers to try to steal our information and get our money. Be on the lookout for these popular scams so that we can spend more time with our loved ones, and not with scammers.
Fake Social Media Ads – Social media is a great place for gift inspiration, and we might find a great sale on Facebook, but watch out! Those “too good to be true” offers usually are. Make sure to always research before you buy. Check reviews, compare prices, and stick to trusted retailers!
Look-alike Websites – If you plan on doing your holiday shopping online, watch out for look-alike websites and use only legitimate shopping sites. Look for URLs that use the names of well-known brands with misspellings such as “www.wallmart.com” or “www.amason.com”
Social Media Gift Exchange – Purchasing one gift and receiving 36 sounds like a great deal, but this seasonal scam is a pyramid scheme, which is illegal. Keep it safe and only buy gifts for people you know (not ones you have only met online.)
Temporary Holiday Jobs – Want to make a little extra cash this season? Perfect timing, companies need help this season, but watch out for email or text message solicitations that
require you to share personal information online or pay for a job lead or hire you without an interview. Apply in person or go to retailers’ main websites to find out who is hiring.
Fake Shipping Notifications – Watch out for messages claiming to be USPS, Amazon, FedEx, or other shipping companies about packages that are undelivered or need additional verification. This email can have attachments or links to sites that will download viruses on your device to steal your identity and your passwords. Do not be fooled by this holiday phishing scam.
Free Gift Cards– Scammers are trying to steal your identity and passwords by offering you FREE gift cards. In this case, you will receive a pop-up ad, social media message or email offering a “free” gift card. But wait, you need to provide personal information to receive it!
Grandparent Scam- This scam uses Artificial Intelligence to clone people’s voices. Seniors should be cautious if they get a call from someone claiming to be a loved one, saying they have been in an accident, arrested, or hospitalized while traveling in another country and needs money NOW. Always contact your loved ones directly to confirm before sending money.
If you believe that you are a victim of Medicare fraud, contact:
Texas Senior Medicare Patrol – 888-341-6187 You can visit www.texassmp.org for more up-to-date scam information and to report potential fraud. If you are interested in a presentation for your group, please reach out to Angel Hanzik, Program Director, at 713-341-6188 or through email at [email protected].
This project was supported, in part, by grant number 90MPPG0017, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. The Texas Senior Medicare Patrol grant is held by the Better Business Bureau Education Foundation.