​FBI Warns Public Of Holiday-Related Scams Targeting Shopping, Donors

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Criminals are exploiting the holiday season to perpetrate scams against shoppers and donors, the Federal Bureau of Investigation San Francisco said, and people need to be vigilant.

“Criminals don’t take holidays off,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp said in a press release. “We’re seeing scammers employing aggressive and creative schemes to take advantage of the season’s generosity and high online shopping activity.”

The scams involve online shopping, charity, cryptocurrency investment, gift cards and social media, according to the FBI.

Online shopping schemes include fraudulent websites or ads offering goods at unrealistic discounts, items purchased through third-party marketplaces using stolen credit cards or accounts and puppy scams involving fake advertisements for pets, with losses reported at $5.6 million so far this year, the FBI said.

People should be on the lookout for fake charities soliciting donations through phone calls, emails, crowdfunding platforms, and social media. Also, copycat organizations create seemingly legitimate charities to steal funds, according to the FBI.

Cryptocurrency fraudsters pose as trusted individuals, convincing victims to invest in fake cryptocurrency platforms, leading to losses that are often substantial, the FBI said.

Gift card scams involve requests for gift card purchases for alleged emergencies, work-related functions, or as payment, or tampered cards with compromised security stickers or altered barcodes, according to the FBI.

Social media scams include posts offering fake gift cards or event tickets designed to steal personal information, or fraudsters duplicating ticket barcodes for resale, the FBI said.

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