Christmas fraud can put a quick damper on holiday fun. Scammers know that families are busy shopping for gifts and decorations, so they take advantage of this chaotic time to trick consumers out of their money. Despite the best efforts of honest stores and online retailers, Christmas scams are still just as common as ever. According to a holiday shopping trends survey, 34.6% of consumers have been scammed at least once during the holidays. What are the most popular Christmas scams and how to spot them? Read on to find out more. Key Insights: Among popular types of Christmas scams are phishing attacks, gift card thefts, and downright fraud. Phishing scams see a massive increase during the holidays. According to the recent data, phishing alerts surged by 46% in December compared to the monthly average observed throughout the year. Scammers actively use fake websites to get personal and credit card information. What Are the Most Common Christmas Scams? Common Christmas scams include phishing attacks, gift card fraud, fake social media gift exchanges, and bogus giveaways. Scammers also use fake shipping notifications and copycat websites to steal personal information. Read more to stay alert and avoid these holiday frauds. Gift card scams According to the recent PissedConsumer survey, gift cards are one of the most popular present choices during this holiday shopping season. However, what seems to be a perfect and easy gift is not always a safe option. When someone unethical finds a way to steal serial numbers and barcodes from gift cards, they don’t need the actual card you purchased as Christmas gifts – they have all they need to access the funds. Of course, sometimes potential gift card scams can be tricky to spot. The customer review #6019514 exposed that brand new gift cards for eBay had been already used. I bought a 50.00 eBay gift card, and when I got home, someone had used my card and it had a 0 balance on it. Other consumers also reported losing their dollars on gift card scams. For example, in review #6168470 a customer shared that they were “scammed out of 3 uber eats gift cards for $300.” Social media gift exchange scams The most common social media gift exchange preys on our good intentions. The scheme works like this: you join a “Secret Sister” or “Secret Santa” group. You give the group your personal information and invite other friends to join – the more members, the better! Then, you are supposed to buy gifts for certain folks, and in return, you’ll be getting potentially dozens of gifts sent to you! Source: facebook.com Of course, such “games” only work because you have recruited more people to play after you, ensuring you get things, but they might not. This is a classic pyramid scheme, leading to completely valid customer complaints and official warnings from government agencies. While this sounds like a fun game to play during the holidays that might help boost your gift count, it may turn out to be a real Christmas scam and a perfect way for criminals to get your personal information. Social media networks giveaways Holiday giveaways are great promotions for companies, and they can land you a great deal or even a free item. Scammers know this and might create fake giveaways that look legitimate to try and collect personal information. Source: Instagram.com If you are invited to participate in raffles or giveaways, you may be offered free coupons and gift cards over social networks, through your email, or by phone. As a classic phishing attack, you will likely be given a link to a new page where the giveaway is happening. These might be fake social media pages for celebrities or popular brands. Once you interact with the page, you may be prompted to sign up with your personal information or asked to include your credit card information for free shipping on the item you “won.” One consumer was savvy enough to spot the scam and posted online review #6019622 asking if Reader’s Digest was sponsoring a prize that a random phone call claimed that they were “the grand prize winner”. Fake social media ads There are many ads for various Christmas activities and gifts in your area through social media. Some show up in your direct feed and others are in a marketplace like Facebook. During the holidays, scammers create fake ads to try and steal information or money. One Facebook user took to a review site to alert others to how commonplace this practice is. They noted in the feedback: People are posting fake ads,the purpose of which is to get your email address…They actually have nothing for sale. In this case, at least, the user didn’t fall for the scam – they wanted to know how to report them to help protect others. Delivery scams The holidays are a busy time for shipping. Scammers take advantage of this by sending fake shipping notifications or taking payment without delivering items. A fake shipping notification typically shows up as an email from a “company” about a “shipping or delivery issue.” When customers click on the link provided in the email to resolve the “issue,” they are taken to a website where they are asked to provide personal information or login details for sites where they have stored payment information like Amazon or eBay. Another popular delivery scam can happen when customers are shopping online. This might happen when you buy Christmas decorations or gifts from a website, and then the items simply never arrive. Or, you try to take advantage of a Christmas sale, and there are suddenly problems that arise after the company has your money but before you have your products. Fake and copy-cat websites A common customer issue that leads to scams is the prevalence of copy cat or fake websites. The customer clicks a link or even searches on a search engine for a website and clicks a likely result, only to be taken to a website that looks authentic, but is completely fake. An excellent example is the Nike Factory Store which spawns many copycat websites. The copycat websites look identical, offer great deals to snag attention, and then dupe shoppers into revealing their financial information. Source: malwaretips.com Charity Scams Unfortunately, there are those who would prey on the generosity of others. Charity scams rely on the generosity of others by soliciting donations to a particular charity cause when the scammers are just pocketing the money. Some charity frauds are straightforward with someone collecting money with a sign or official banners near popular Christmas shopping locations. Others are more complex and involve calling or emailing victims and requesting donations to help buy Christmas gifts for the less fortunate or other ploys that rely on the victim’s goodwill. How Avoid Christmas Scams Choose secure websites Websites that have https at the beginning of the URL are generally secure. If the URL has http without S, it is likely that if you provide your personal information and credit card details, they will be accessible to hackers. Use One Credit Card Using a prepaid card or a credit card with a low limit will allow you to do your online holiday shopping a tad easier and safer. It will also simplify things as you will only have one account to monitor for unusual activity. Also, it is recommended to avoid using a debit card for your online purchases. This is because, in the event of a scam, the card issuer will have to fight to get its money. Check Online Reviews This applies whether you are shopping on a well-known platform or a newer platform. You will easily find the top complaints about the company and hence be able to determine if the company is legitimate. It is advisable to check various review websites to get a clear sense of the company’s reliability. Also, search for “company’s name + scam” to see any reported cases of scams about the company. Finally, if you have been scammed by a company, leave a review for others. Enhance your digital security measures Check that the antivirus software on your computer and phone is up to date. If it’s updated, it should catch any malware and viruses before they can infect your device. Some antiviruses will even warn you about suspicious links and websites before opening them. You can also be proactive in your digital security by checking on site age and safety. Easily look to see how long a website has existed online Brand new sites are more likely to be scammers. Opt for store pick up If you want to shop online but you’re worried about scams, shop on big name websites, and then opt for store pick up. Many stores have same day or curbside delivery, so you can shop and compare prices online but avoid the crowds and chaos at check out and pick up time. Best of all, if you don’t like the item, you’re already in a prime place to return it and try again! Document your purchases While it’s tempting to order as inspiration strikes on various websites, it’s far better to carefully document and track your purchases, at least your expensive ones. Top strategies after being scammed will ask you to document your experience including providing dates, amounts, and any contact information. How to Find Legit Christmas Deals Below are tips to help you find legit Christmas offers in 2025: Follow Stores on Social Media: Get exclusive holiday deals by following official pages and signing up for newsletters. Use Coupon Codes: Save up to 15% with online coupon codes; check for expiration dates and apply before checkout. Leverage Free Shipping Promos: Reach minimum order requirements or opt for store pickup to save on shipping costs. Beat Dynamic Pricing: Clear browsing history, delete cookies, and use incognito mode to avoid price increases. Install Cashback Apps: Use apps like Rakuten for rebates, or join store rewards programs to accumulate discounts over time. Stay Safe from Christmas Scams While the holiday season brings joy, it also brings an increase in scams and consumer issues. Phishing attacks, gift card fraud, fake social media giveaways, and other deceptive tactics are common during this time. By following safety tips such as shopping on secure websites, using prepaid cards, and checking online reviews, consumers can better protect themselves and enjoy a safer holiday shopping experience. Have you been scammed during Christmas shopping? Share your experience with us.