By Sandra Guile
Better Business Bureau
The 2016 holiday season is in full swing and with it comes numerous distractions such as shopping, partying, and wrapping presents. It also provides the perfect opportunity for scammers to use people’s inattention for their own gain.
This year, law enforcement officials are once again warning of a Facebook scam called the “Secret Sister Gift Exchange.” Participants are asked to put their name on a list, buy and send a $10 gift to someone else on the list, and it is expected that everyone involved receives somewhere between six and 36 gifts in the mail.
However, not only are the people who sign up for this list giving their personal information to an unknown source, they’re also engaging in an illegal activity. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service considers this type of activity gambling and the people taking part in it could be punished. If you see a post like this in your Facebook feed or receive a message to join the group directly, don’t respond and report the activity to Facebook.
Another common scam that may be encountered during the holidays is the package delivery scam. A person receives a call or a message from what they think is a popular shipping company, notifying them of a package waiting on delivery. The supposed company then requests that the person receiving the package give them payment or personal information so they can send it out.
This scam can also be perpetrated using a note left on the door of the intended victim. The note will typically have a phone number or website included so that the recipient can use it to claim the alleged package. If the website is used or the number is called, the scam is the same. The company requests personal or financial information before they deliver a package.
During the holidays, in particular, many of us will expect shipments from UPS, FedEx, or the postal service. As a result, it’s easier to trick people with a scam related to package delivery. Before calling a company you receive a note or message from, look up the contact information to see if it’s included in a scam. If you do call the number included and they begin asking questions rather than offering to schedule a delivery, hang up – any mention of payment or personal information should be a red flag.
It’s important to remember that most shipping services allow you to check the status of your delivery by signing up for text or email alerts, and they will attempt to deliver a package at least three times before contacting you directly.
This holiday season, do your part to promote goodwill to all. If you suspect a call, a note, or a post on social media might be part of a scam, report it to BBB’s Scam Tracker to protect everyone.
Sandra Guile is the Community Outreach Specialist for BBB. She promotes BBB’s message of marketplace ethics through public speaking engagements, presentations, media relations, press releases, web content, and other written materials. Contact Sandra at (513) 639-9126 or sguile@cincinnati.bbb.org. Your BBB is located at 1 East 4th Street Suite 600 Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 – to reach the office, call (513) 421-3015.
