Common Holiday Scams

Fraudsters May Target You With...

Gift Scams

Popular, sold out items (for example, a toy unavailable in local stores and online) suddenly appear in ads. If an item is sold-out in box stores and reputable online stores you frequent, then the websites with availability are likely scams meant to steal your money, your personal information, or your credit card.

Purchase Fraud

Online shopping provides criminals an opportunity to trick you into paying for goods or services that either don’t exist or whose quality is sub-standard to what was advertised.

Holiday Employment Scams

In online ads, scammers may pretend to be employers from recognized companies. In the posted help-wanted ad, you’re instructed to follow links to submit an application. The personal information you provide can be used for identity theft.

Charity Scams

The holiday season is when many people give to their favorite charities and scammers are targeting the season’s generosity by creating fraudulent charities. Only donate to reputable and trusted charities with a history of charitable distribution.

Social Media Scams

While on social media, beautifully crafted items repeatedly appear in your feed. You order the item and when the item arrives, it doesn’t resemble what you ordered, or it doesn’t arrive at all.

Romance Scams

The holidays are when many look for a partner and are also a time when romance scammers heighten their activity. Don’t feel pressure to send money to someone on a dating website.

Vishing, Phishing, and Smishing Campaigns

Scammers use fraudulent phone calls, emails, websites, or texts to trick you into revealing private information, clicking malicious links, or opening malicious attachments. Watch out for phone calls claiming to be from PRS. Always hang up and call us back at 215-634-7000 to make sure it is really us.

For more information, call Port Richmond Savings at 215-634-7000.

Information from the U.S. Department of Treasury- The Office of Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection