Avoiding Holiday Scams: What to Watch For and How to Protect Yourself

The holiday season is one of the most profitable times of year for cybercriminals, and the U.S. Secret Service's 2026 holiday advisory outlines the scams to watch for and the habits that keep you safe.

The scams to know

• Fake shopping sites. Scammers build convincing copies of popular retailer websites and can pay to place them at the top of search results. Skip links in emails and social media ads; type the retailer's address into your browser or use its official app.
• "Accidental" payments. A stranger sends money to your payment app and asks for it back. Don't send it back yourself — contact the app's official customer support.
• Investment offers. Promises of "quick returns" for holiday expenses often escalate into repeated demands for more money. Anyone asking for cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfers is a red flag. Investment scams cost Americans more than $7 billion in 2025, according to the FBI's IC3.
• Fake charities. Research any charity independently before donating in response to an unsolicited request.
• Family "emergencies." Scammers can make calls appear to come from, and sound like, a family member in distress. Hang up and call them back on a number you know.
• Suspicious invitations. Unexpected online invitations that request login credentials, financial information, or a file download can steal your data even if the sender looks familiar. Verify through a separate channel first.

Five habits that protect you

1. Guard your personal information. Never share personal or financial details unless you've independently confirmed the request is legitimate.
2. Slow down. "Too good to be true" deals and urgent pressure to act fast are hallmarks of a scam.
3. Shop carefully. Confirm an online retailer is legitimate before entering your card information.
4. Gift cards are for gifting. If someone demands payment by gift card, it's a scam. Stolen gift card funds can't be recovered.
5. Verify charities. Check organizations through the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, Candid, Charity Navigator, or CharityWatch, and donate directly rather than through an intermediary.

If you're a victim: Report fraud to your local law enforcement agency, the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.