REGIONAL-While 2021 is quickly winding down, scams targeting the public continue to cause trouble.
Consumers should watch out for any fraudulent schemes aimed at swiping their cash and stealing personal information. Better Business Bureau (BBB) has a Naughty List with the top scams of Christmas that are most likely to catch consumers and donors off guard during this season. 
Many of the scams on this list are facilitated through email and social media platforms, however the latter is where most people are vulnerable. Exercise caution when coming across social media ads about discounted items, event promotions, job opportunities, and donation requests, as well as direct messages from strangers. If you are asked to make a payment or donation by wire or e-transfer, through third parties, by prepaid debit or gift cards, treat this as a red flag. 
Be mindful of these scams that could cut into your holiday cheer and follow our tips to avoid them: 
• Misleading social media ads: As you scroll through your social media feed, you often see items for sale from a small business. Sometimes the business even claims to support a charity to try to get you to order or they offer a free trial. Do your homework and research the company before ordering. Check out the business profile on BBB.org and read the reviews.  
• Social media gift exchanges: A newer version of this scam revolves around exchanging bottles of wine; another suggests purchasing $10 gifts online. Another twist asks you to submit your email into a list where participants get to pick a name and send money to strangers to “pay it forward.”  
In all of these versions, participants unwittingly share their personal information, along with those of their family members and friends, and are further tricked into buying and shipping gifts or money to unknown individuals. And, it’s an illegal pyramid scheme. 
Holiday apps:Apple’s App Store and Google Play list dozens of holiday-themed apps where children can video chat live with Santa, light the menorah, watch Santa feed live reindeer, track his sleigh on Christmas Eve, or relay their holiday wish lists. Be wary of free apps, as they can sometimes contain more advertising than apps that require a nominal fee. Free apps can also contain malware.   
• Alerts about compromised accounts: BBB has been receiving reports on Scam Tracker about a con claiming your Amazon, Paypal, Netflix or bank account has been compromised. Victims receive an email, call, or text message which explains that there has been suspicious activity on one of their accounts, and it further urges them to take immediate action to prevent the account from being compromised.    
• Free gift cards: Scammers have been known to take advantage of this weakness by sending bulk phishing emails requesting personal information to receive free gift cards. They may also use pop-up ads or send text messages with links saying you were randomly selected as the winner for a prize.
• Temporary holiday jobs: Shippers and delivery services are top holiday employers this year because of the increase in online orders and the need to get most of these packages delivered before Christmas. Jobseekers need to be wary of employment scams aimed at stealing money and personal information from job applicants. Keep an eye out for opportunities that seem too good to be true.  
• Look-alike websites: Be wary of emails with links enclosed. Some may lead to look-alike websites created by scammers to trick people into downloading malware, making dead-end purchases and sharing private information.
For general information on how to avoid scams, visit BBB.org/AvoidScams. For more advice, read BBB’s tips on online shopping.