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| The holidays are a time for gifts, gratitude, and family gatherings. Unfortunately, they also provide fraudsters the opportunity to commit a wide variety of crimes against vulnerable or unsuspecting victims. To help you stay protected, here are a few safety reminders to keep in mind throughout the busy holiday season. Stay vigilant while shopping in person Fraudsters often target shoppers taking breaks in food courts and restaurants. You put yourself at risk by leaving packages or handbags on your chair, stroller, or behind you. Keep these items close to you when you are out in public. Watch out for people brushing or bumping against your chair. Take precautions like adding fasteners to your handbags to avoid pickpockets. You can also carry your wallet and phone in your front pockets. Do not leave valuable purchases in your car Criminals may watch for shoppers placing items in the trunk of their car and returning to the store. You might think your car is a safe place to keep your things. However, bad actors may break a window to access the trunk if the item is valuable enough. After any major purchase, head home and store your new item securely before going out again. Use caution at ATMs Look for people lurking around ATMs and inspect the ATMs for skimming devices that steal your card information for criminals to use later. Skimming occurs when devices are illegally installed on or inside ATMs, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, or fuel pumps to capture card data and record the cardholder's PIN information. Set up alerts on debit and credit cards to monitor real-time activity and immediately report any unauthorized transaction to EdFed. Beware of porch pirates Some scammers, known as porch pirates, wait patiently for packages to arrive at their target's home and steal them once they arrive. Consider arranging delivery of your most important items to a secure location, pick-up store, or at a time when you expect to be home. Look out for smishing scams Thieves even resort to impersonating delivery services like USPS or FedEx claiming a delivery failure via text. It will appear like a standard SMS message urging you to click on a link that takes you to the delivery service's website. Do not click on any link you receive via text. Rely solely on the retailer's official tracking number and verify by going directly to the retailer's website yourself. Give safely; avoid charity scams Fraudsters take advantage of holiday generosity by creating fake charity sites. If you wish to donate to a charity, make sure you do your research and verify the organization is legitimate before donating. EdFed is always here to help The best way to protect yourself is to stay aware and proactive during your holiday shopping. Staying alert and taking even the smallest precautions can make a big difference when protecting your personal information, purchases, and finances. Remember, if you suspect your account has been compromised or notice any unauthorized activity, contact EdFed right away so we can assist you. |
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