Stay smart this holiday season: How to keep your money and identity safe when scams spike
The holiday season should feel festive, and not stressful. But every year, as shopping carts fill up and inboxes overflow with deals, scammers see an opportunity to strike. They know people are distracted, tired, and moving fast. That’s why some of the most convincing fraud attempts of the year happen between November and January.
At Gen, we work every day to help people stay ahead of evolving threats. And during the holidays, the smallest moments, buying a gift card, donating to a charity, or opening a “pre-approved” offer can carry outsized risk. Here’s what to watch for and how to protect yourself, based on the latest insights and practical guidance from our teams and partners from the Identity Theft Resource Center.
1. Gift cards: convenient for you, gold for scammers
Gift cards remain one of the easiest tools for fraudsters to exploit. They’re fast, unregulated, and nearly impossible to trace once the numbers are handed over. If anyone pressures you to pay for anything with a gift card, a fee, a fine, a service, or a “problem with your account,” that’s a scam.
Before you buy:
- Purchase cards only from reputable retailers.
- Never share the numbers or PIN with someone you don’t know.
- Ignore any links sent to “activate,” “verify,” or “unlock” a card; scammers increasingly use fake branded sites to steal balances.
2. Slow down before you donate
Scammers build fake charities designed to look almost identical to the real thing, especially during high-giving months. They count on people acting quickly and emotionally.
Before donating:
- Search for the organization directly, not through a link in an email or text.
- Check the name carefully. Misspellings, extra hyphens, or odd URLs are red flags.
- Verify legitimacy through trusted sites like Charity Navigator or the IRS database.
Real charities don’t rush you. If you feel pressured, step back.
3. “Special offers” that want your SSN? Hard pass.
Fraudsters love hiding behind fake credit card offers and holiday promotions. These scams are designed to harvest personal and financial information before you even realize what’s happening.
Keep yourself safe by:
- Avoiding offers that ask for full SSNs or bank details upfront.
- Checking for HTTPS and secure branding before entering sensitive info.
- Monitoring your credit for any newly opened accounts or inquiries you didn’t recognize or authorize.
If an offer looks too shiny, too generous, or too urgent, trust your instincts.
4. Your best defense: layers of strong, everyday protection
The smartest way to stay safe isn’t about memorizing scam techniques. It’s about building habits that work year-round. As this guide emphasizes, your strongest protection comes from awareness paired with simple safeguards.
Set yourself up for success by:
- Checking your accounts regularly for unfamiliar transactions.
- Using strong, unique passwords for every site you shop or bank with.
- Turning on two-factor authentication wherever possible.
- Relying on trusted security tools that monitor for identity threats, malicious sites, and scam attempts in real time.
These small steps make it dramatically harder for attackers to turn holiday pressure into holiday losses.
Final thought: Give yourself the gift of a calmer season
Staying safe online shouldn’t take the joy out of the holidays. With a little awareness and the right protections in place, you can shop, donate, and celebrate with confidence.
The holiday crunch is real. But so is your power to stay one step ahead.
