‘Tis the season to make the most of online shopping and travel services. Inboxes and phones fill with special offers, shipping updates, reservation confirmations, and donation requests, creating the perfect environment for scams.

Scammers know that busy, distracted people are more likely to lower their guard. Between Black Friday and Christmas Eve 2025, consumers lost an estimated $920 million to holiday shopping fraud. (Source: ‘Tis the Season for Holiday Shopping Scams, The Signal)

Fortunately, recognizing common scams can help you protect your money, personal information, and online accounts.

Verify Before You Buy

Whether you're shopping for gifts or booking holiday travel, watch for these warning signs:

• Deep discounts that seem too good to be true
• Long, unusual, or suspicious URLs
• Missing physical addresses or customer service contact information
• Countdown timers, limited-stock alerts, or other pressure tactics
• Requests for payment by gift card, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer

If gift cards are on your shopping list, choose cards stored behind the counter and inspect them for signs of tampering, such as stickers placed over barcodes. Better yet, purchase digital gift cards directly from a retailer's official website.

Not all holiday shopping scams involve products. According to the Better Business Bureau's Scam Tracker, pet scams were among the most commonly reported counterfeit scams in 2025. If you're looking for a pet, verify that it exists in person before making any payment, and never pay with gift cards, wire transfers, or peer-to-peer payment apps such as Venmo or Cash App.

Urgent Messages Hide Hidden Risks

Holiday shoppers and travelers expect to receive order confirmations, shipping updates, reservation reminders, and travel notifications. Scammers exploit this expectation by sending convincing messages that appear to come from trusted organizations.

These messages may claim that a package cannot be delivered, a reservation will be canceled, or additional information is needed to complete a transaction. In many cases, the message includes a link that leads to a fraudulent website or malicious download.

Don’t Let Fake Charities Cash in on Kindness

If you find yourself in the giving spirit, make sure your contribution goes where it’s really needed.

• Verify charities with Give.org, Charity Navigator.org, or the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search.
• Use a credit card in case you need to dispute a charge.
• Make donations directly through secure, verified websites. Avoid donation requests sent by text, or advertised on social media.

Stay Vigilant This Holiday Season

A little caution can go a long way. By recognizing common scams and taking a few extra moments to verify offers, notifications, and donation requests, you can enjoy the holiday season with greater confidence and security.

If you believe that you’ve been a target of cybercrime at your Cornell email address, or that your Cornell account has been compromised, please change your NetID password immediately and contact the IT Security Office.