Holiday Scams

Holiday scams aim to trick you into giving up money, gift cards, or sensitive information.

Fraudsters pose as familiar individuals, claiming an urgent problem and pressuring you to take immediate action by following specific payment instructions.

Phishing Scams

Phishers will send you an email or a pop-up message that appears to be from a trusted company that you deal with – your credit card company, credit union, or a government agency. These messages typically request that you update or validate account information, redirecting you to a fake website that looks real. The purpose of the bogus website is to deceive you into entering your personal information so the scammers can steal your identity and commit crimes in your name.

Charitable Giving Scams

Someone contacts you, or you see an advertisement to donate money to a worthy cause (like supporting animal rescue, fighting homelessness, or providing aid after a high-profile disaster). These scammers imitate real charities or create their own with convincing websites to steal from unsuspecting donors. It will likely be a scam if these scammers pressure you to donate cash through gift cards or wire transfers.

Package Delivery Notification Scam

Scammers send texts or emails with a package tracking link and instructions for the recipient to update the delivery or payment preferences. Clicking the link may prompt you to enter personal information or install malware that allows scammers to steal sensitive data from your phone or computer.

Gift Card Scam

If a company asks for payment in gift cards, money orders, or wires, which is very unusual, it is likely a scam. Fraudsters commonly use Amazon, Walmart, iTunes, eBay, Target, and other popular gift cards as cash conduits in imposter and phone scams. 

Imposter Scams

Fraudsters portray themselves as family members or friends urgently seeking monetary help. They may request funds through online money transmission services, cryptocurrency transfers, or wire transfers. Stay vigilant and verify the authenticity of such requests before taking action.

Tips To Protect Yourself

1)   New! Use Card Services within Digital Banking to quickly activate or deactivate your card at your convenience.
2)  Check your transactions and statements regularly within Digital Banking.
3)  Set up account alerts.
4)  Use your credit card or Digital Wallet to make more secure payments.
5)  Reminder: We will NEVER contact you by phone, email, or through social media to solicit confidential, personal, and/or account information. This includes Digital Banking credentials, personal identification numbers, one-time passwords, or debit or credit card information (expiration date or CVV number).

Watch this video to learn more about imposter scams.

Magnifi Financial is committed to arming you with the necessary tools and information to protect yourself. Check out our fraud prevention resource page to learn more.