‘Tis the Season to Shop Carefully

The holidays are the busiest online shopping season of the year, and scammers know it. More orders, more delivery texts, and more “limited-time” deals give fraudsters plenty of places to hide.

At River City Bank, we want you to enjoy the season without worrying about your money. Here are the most common holiday scams to watch for, plus simple habits that help keep you and your accounts safe.

Common Holiday Scams to Know

Fake online stores and too-good-to-be-true deals. Scammers build convincing websites, often copying the look of real retailers, to advertise hard-to-find gifts at steep discounts. You pay, and the item never arrives or turns out to be a cheap knockoff. Be wary of brand-new sites, misspelled web addresses, and sellers that only accept unusual payment methods.

Bogus delivery texts and emails. With packages arriving daily, a message saying your delivery is “on hold” or needs a small redelivery fee can seem believable. These links often lead to fake pages built to steal your card number or login. Check tracking directly on the carrier’s or retailer’s official website or app instead.

Social media ad scams. Sponsored posts for trendy gifts, flash sales, or giveaways can lead to fake shops. Before buying from an ad, search the company name plus “reviews” or “scam” and look for a real address and customer service contact.

Gift card scams. Gift cards are a favorite of scammers because they’re hard to trace once spent. No legitimate business, government agency, or bank will ask you to pay a bill or fix a problem with gift cards. When buying gift cards in a store, check that the packaging and PIN area haven’t been tampered with.

Fake bank or account alerts. You may get a call, text, or email that looks like it’s from your bank or a major retailer, warning of suspicious activity on your account. The goal is to rush you into sharing a password, one-time passcode, or card number. Hang up or ignore the message, then contact the company using a number you already trust.

Payment app and marketplace scams. When buying from individuals on online marketplaces, a seller may ask you to pay upfront through a peer-to-peer payment app. These payments work like cash and are usually difficult to reverse. Only send money this way to people you know and trust.

Fake charities. The giving season brings out fraudulent charities, sometimes with names close to well-known organizations. Research a charity before donating, and give directly through its official website rather than through links in unsolicited messages.

Malicious QR codes. Scammers may place QR codes in emails, flyers, or even stickers over legitimate codes. Before scanning, consider where the code came from, and check the web address it opens before entering any personal or payment information.

Simple Ways to Protect Yourself

• Shop with retailers you know. If a site is new to you, look for reviews, a physical address, and a working customer service phone number.
• Check the web address. Look for “https” and the correct spelling of the retailer’s name before entering payment details.
• Pay with a credit or debit card. Cards generally offer stronger fraud protections than wire transfers, gift cards, or payment apps.
• Don’t click links in unexpected messages. Go directly to the retailer’s, carrier’s, or bank’s official website or app instead.
• Never share one-time passcodes. A code sent to your phone is meant for you alone; anyone asking you to read it back is likely a scammer.
• Turn on account alerts. Transaction alerts in online and mobile banking let you spot unfamiliar charges right away.
• Use strong, unique passwords. Turn on multi-factor authentication wherever it’s offered.
• Shop on secure Wi-Fi. Avoid making purchases or logging into accounts on public Wi-Fi networks.
• Slow down. Pressure and urgency are classic scam tactics. A real deal or a real problem will still be there after you take a moment to verify it.

If You Think You’ve Been Scammed

Act quickly. The sooner you report it, the better the chance of limiting the damage.

1. Contact your bank right away so they can help you review recent activity, block or replace your card, and take next steps.
2. Change your passwords for any accounts that may be affected, starting with email and banking.
3. Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
4. Keep records such as receipts, screenshots, emails, and text messages.

A reminder from us: River City Bank will never call, text, or email to ask for your password, PIN, or one-time passcode. If someone claiming to be from RCB asks for this information, hang up and call us directly at a number you trust.

From all of us at River City Bank, we wish you a safe, happy, and scam-free holiday season.