The holidays are right around the corner and serve as a great opportunity to spend time with friends and family. This time of online shopping, increased web usage and need to escape bad weather also serves as a great opportunity for fraudsters to take advantage.

While you prepare for the holiday season you can help protect yourself from scammers by being aware of these five holiday scams:

Gift Card Scams

Try your best to purchase items with a debit or credit card. Sellers who request gift card payments with the pin may take the funds and you could never receive your items. Always purchase gift cards from a reputable source and be sure to inspect thoroughly before you finalize the sale. Check to ensure the activation key isn't exposed, otherwise you are at a much higher risk of that gift card funds already being used.

Charity Scams

It's especially important to look out for fake charities or emails created by fraudsters asking for funds on behalf of a charity. Many criminals know that with the holiday season comes the season of giving and they will take advantage. The grammar used may be incorrect or something about the email might look off. In addition to emails, watch out for fake social media sites asking for donations. 

Phishing Scams

Beware of holiday email scams – they often come in the form of suspicious, unsolicited emails announcing holiday deals and special sales. Typically they will contain links leading to fraudulent websites designed to capture your personal data or plant malware on your device.

Delivery Scams

Be aware of alerts from postal services saying that a package has been delivered to your home or office. The alerts can be in the form of a text or email and will look like they are coming from a delivery servicer or the company themselves. If someone asks for your personal information, do not give it to them.

Travel Scams

In the colder seasons it may be tempting to get away to some place tropical, but keep an eye out for too-good-to-be-true offers. Phony travel sites are set up by scammers to gather personal information so make sure to book through reputable websites. 

Report any type of fraud or scams you experience through the Federal Trade Commission.