With the holiday season fast approaching, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced this week that is building on her Scams at a Glance program with a ‘Tis the Season‘ edition.
The Scams at a Glance program contains resources available to Floridians to help protect themselves against emerging scams and fraud. Scams at a Glance: ‘Tis the Season aims to educate Floridians on common scams typical of holiday-season purchasing and giving.
“As we near the end of 2020, Floridians may be more excited for the holidays than ever before. I want to start off the holiday season on the right foot and make sure consumers know what to look for to protect themselves from anyone who might try to swindle, steal or scam,” Moody said on Thursday.
“I want a grinch-free holiday season for all, as we start to close out this whirlwind of a year. It is my hope that Floridians will look at these tips, help spread the word and have a safe and prosperous holiday season with their loved ones,” Moody added.
Savvy consumers can stop fraud in its tracks, but they must know what to look for. Some helpful tips to avoid holiday-related scams include:
- Be aware that scammers can easily create online retail sites with no intention of shipping ordered products. Consider shopping with trusted retailers that are familiar or research to make sure the retailer has a history of good customer service;
- Know that if a deal appears too good to be true, it almost always is;
- For more security online, contact your credit or debit card provider to find out if it offers one-time card numbers to be used in online transactions to further protect cardholder accounts; and
- Before donating, ensure the charity is registered and eligible to solicit in the state of Florida by visiting FDACS.gov/ConsumerServices or by calling 1-800-HELP-FLA.
Scams at a Glance is Moody’s consumer outreach program complete with a webpage on the Florida Attorney General’s website with information about common and emerging scams. The webpage also provides downloadable brochures designed to teach consumers how to avoid falling victim to fraud.
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