How to Avoid Holiday Scams

               Tis the season for giving and getting taken. Much as merriment is in the air, so is mischief. While you’re feeling happy and hurried, there are those waiting to capitalize on your distraction.

               Here’s what to look out for online and off.

               Check out that charity

                If you’re approached by an unfamiliar charity, check it out. According to the National Consumers League, complaints to the Federal Trade Commission about charity scams have become more frequent recently. They were reported much more frequently in 2009, increased by 82 percent over the same period in 2008.

               Most states require charities to register with them and file annual reports showing how they use donations. Ask your state or local consumer protection agency how to get this information. The Better Business Bureau Wise (BBB) Giving Alliance also offers information about national charities, www.give.org.

              Ask for written information. Legitimate charities will be happy to provide details about what they do and will never insist that you act immediately.

             Beware of sound-alikes. Some crooks try to fool people by using names that are very similar to those of legitimate, well-known charities.

            The National Consumers League urges caution with requests to support police or firefighters. Contact your local police or fire department to find out if the fundraisers claims are true and what percentage of donations, if any, they will receive.

             Think local

             Every year there is a battle for the latest and greatest gadget. When the item is sold out in stores you can often find it online at Craigslist or eBay. The problem is, says Alison Southwick, a spokesperson for the BBB, some sellers will take your money and run. Her advice, “Shop locally on Craigslist and conduct the transaction in person – never wire money as payment. When purchasing items on auctions like eBay, research the seller extensively and always listen to your doubts if the deal doesn’t sound legit.”

             Avoid purchases on public Wi-Fi

             It’s fine to search for gifts while sipping a peppermint latte at the coffee shop, but don’t enter personal information while you’re out and about – open networks mean a hacker could easily steal information like usernames, passwords and credit card numbers, warns Catalin Cosoi, head of the threat labs at BitDefender. And when you’re back home, make sure “HTTPS” appears in the URL before adding any payment details.

             Look out for fakes everywhere

             If you don’t recognize the sender of a holiday eCard, delete it. If the email is not addressed to you specifically, delete it. If you’re instructed to download an “executable program,” delete it, advises Fred Touchette, senior security analyst at AppRiver.

            He also doesn’t recommend buying gift cards from online auction sites. “These are very likely to be counterfeit, used (may not contain the amount you were promised) or altogether fraudulent.

            There are also fake holiday products. Often promoted via spam emails, always do your research. If you don’t recognize a company, don’t order anything from them. Do your research. Make sure they exist before you purchase that product that caught your eye.

             Be smart at the ATM

             Check your surroundings for people “just hanging out.” They may be there to steal your private information, warns Gail Cunningham, vice president of public relations for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. Examine the machine itself for anything that looks like it could have been added on.

             Crooks are installing tiny mechanisms that capture all of your information. Installing the device leaves a small hole in the ATM machine which they cover with a very realistic looking seal.

             “If anything looks odd, do not use the machine and report your concern,” she adds.

             Travel light

             Remove all credit cards from your wallet except the ones you intend to use during the particular shopping trip. (Better still if you’re not charging at all!). But this way, if you lose your wallet you’ve limited the damage.

             For the same reason, says Cunningham, consider removing your checkbook and only carry a few checks.

             Simply put, keep your guard up so your holiday remains festive instead of a fiasco.