Don’t let holiday cheer turn into a scam—simple ways to stay safe this season
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There’s something about the holiday season that makes even the most cautious people lower their guard without realizing it.
Between the endless wave of online orders, tempting last-minute sales, and cheerful messages promising joy or urgency, it becomes far easier to trust what seems familiar at first glance.
Yet hidden behind all that festive cheer and excitement, there are always a few quiet dangers waiting patiently for that single careless click to happen.
And when those dangers arrive carefully disguised as kindness or generosity, it’s often far too late to recognize the difference before the damage is done.
As the shopping season reaches its peak, law enforcement and cybersecurity experts are warning that scam activity is on the rise.
With inboxes and phones flooded by shipping alerts, discount offers, and “urgent” updates, scammers are exploiting the chaos to trick even cautious buyers.
“Remember, don’t click on anything unknown, even if you just ordered gifts and you’re expecting packages to come to your door soon,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel advised in a statement.
These seemingly harmless messages are often nothing more than digital bait, designed to steal your personal information in one distracted moment.
Melanie McGovern, director of public relations at the Better Business Bureau, said one of the biggest HACKS this year involves fake text messages pretending to be from the United States Postal Service.
These “smishing” scams tell recipients that a package is delayed, followed by a link that leads straight to a fraudulent site.
“The biggest thing for people to remember is if they have opted into text reminders,” McGovern said.
“You have to opt in to receive any kind of text message from a retailer. Keeping track of what you ordered and where, how it’s being delivered, is really important.”
Also read: Protect your wallet this holiday—don’t miss this four-letter word in URLs before buying!
Many shoppers are so busy wrapping, planning, and checking off lists that they don’t stop to question a realistic-looking message.
“They’re panicking, you know,” McGovern said. “We’re a week from Christmas, and they’re like, ‘Oh no, my package is being held up. It’s something for my child. You’re naturally going to go into panic mode.’”
That quick sense of urgency is exactly what scammers rely on, because when emotions run high, reason tends to take a back seat.
Taking a moment to verify a message before reacting could be the simplest defense against falling victim to one of these schemes.
The USPS confirms it only uses official five-digit short codes for legitimate messages, a detail that’s often missed when panic takes over.
Scam texts, meanwhile, may come from full international numbers such as those beginning with +63, which originate in the Philippines.
“They’re phishing,” McGovern said, explaining how easy it is to be fooled by a message that looks authentic until you examine the sender’s address closely. She added that if something feels off, trust your instincts—it probably is.
Beyond digital fraud, physical theft is also a concern during the holidays. Law enforcement has reported an uptick in “porch pirates” stealing deliveries left unattended at front doors.
Also read: 10 warning signs that social media ad might be a scam—have you seen these tricks?
North Carolina Attorney General John Stein encouraged shoppers to track packages closely, stay home for important deliveries, or coordinate with trusted neighbors.
He also suggested having parcels sent to workplaces or asking the post office to hold them, ensuring gifts don’t disappear before they’re opened.
Read next:
The holidays should be about connection, not confusion. Staying calm, checking sources, and keeping track of your orders can make all the difference in avoiding scams that ruin the season. Every click counts when your personal information is at stake. How do you stay one step ahead of holiday HACKS? Share your best tips in the comments below.
Between the endless wave of online orders, tempting last-minute sales, and cheerful messages promising joy or urgency, it becomes far easier to trust what seems familiar at first glance.
Yet hidden behind all that festive cheer and excitement, there are always a few quiet dangers waiting patiently for that single careless click to happen.
And when those dangers arrive carefully disguised as kindness or generosity, it’s often far too late to recognize the difference before the damage is done.
As the shopping season reaches its peak, law enforcement and cybersecurity experts are warning that scam activity is on the rise.
With inboxes and phones flooded by shipping alerts, discount offers, and “urgent” updates, scammers are exploiting the chaos to trick even cautious buyers.
“Remember, don’t click on anything unknown, even if you just ordered gifts and you’re expecting packages to come to your door soon,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel advised in a statement.
These seemingly harmless messages are often nothing more than digital bait, designed to steal your personal information in one distracted moment.
Don’t let holiday cheer turn into a scam—simple ways to stay safe this season. Image source: Allef Vinicius / Unsplash
Melanie McGovern, director of public relations at the Better Business Bureau, said one of the biggest HACKS this year involves fake text messages pretending to be from the United States Postal Service.
These “smishing” scams tell recipients that a package is delayed, followed by a link that leads straight to a fraudulent site.
“The biggest thing for people to remember is if they have opted into text reminders,” McGovern said.
“You have to opt in to receive any kind of text message from a retailer. Keeping track of what you ordered and where, how it’s being delivered, is really important.”
Also read: Protect your wallet this holiday—don’t miss this four-letter word in URLs before buying!
Many shoppers are so busy wrapping, planning, and checking off lists that they don’t stop to question a realistic-looking message.
“They’re panicking, you know,” McGovern said. “We’re a week from Christmas, and they’re like, ‘Oh no, my package is being held up. It’s something for my child. You’re naturally going to go into panic mode.’”
That quick sense of urgency is exactly what scammers rely on, because when emotions run high, reason tends to take a back seat.
Taking a moment to verify a message before reacting could be the simplest defense against falling victim to one of these schemes.
The USPS confirms it only uses official five-digit short codes for legitimate messages, a detail that’s often missed when panic takes over.
Scam texts, meanwhile, may come from full international numbers such as those beginning with +63, which originate in the Philippines.
“They’re phishing,” McGovern said, explaining how easy it is to be fooled by a message that looks authentic until you examine the sender’s address closely. She added that if something feels off, trust your instincts—it probably is.
Beyond digital fraud, physical theft is also a concern during the holidays. Law enforcement has reported an uptick in “porch pirates” stealing deliveries left unattended at front doors.
Also read: 10 warning signs that social media ad might be a scam—have you seen these tricks?
North Carolina Attorney General John Stein encouraged shoppers to track packages closely, stay home for important deliveries, or coordinate with trusted neighbors.
He also suggested having parcels sent to workplaces or asking the post office to hold them, ensuring gifts don’t disappear before they’re opened.
Read next:
- Protect Your Holiday Packages: Expert Tips from Police and Delivery Services on Outsmarting Porch Pirates
- Before you give: Holiday charity scams are targeting generous retirees
