New holiday scams to watch out for: BBB

New holiday scams to watch out for

As spending goes up for the holidays, unfortunately, so does scamming. The BBB is warning of new holiday scams.

AUSTIN, Texas - As spending goes up for the holidays, unfortunately, so does scamming. 

"Just as many millions go out the door for shopping, many thousands get lost on the other side, so it is prime time for cybercrime," Jason Meza, senior director of communications for the Better Business Bureau said.

The BBB is warning of new holiday scams. 

Dig deeper:

Holiday apps 

First, there are holiday apps. Apps for kids to talk to Santa or track Santa could be malicious. Free apps can have ads within them that try to solicit money. Someone can put a virus on your phone.

"When you download or even when you enter payment, you inadvertently might be unloading Trojan or malware onto your device," Meza said.

Look at the privacy policy for each app and how data is collected. If the app doesn't have a privacy policy, you might not want to download it. Turn off your location and be careful about entering data.

Advent calendars

There are lots of ads on social media where people pay for things they never get. Scammers are trying to get in on the demand for advent calendars.

"It's tailored to have the advent holidays and as people are ordering them, people are trying to get them, but they're not delivering as promised," Meza said.

If you want one, buy early, compare costs, and buy from a reputable company. For any product, if something is sold out everywhere, but there's magically an ad that says it's available, it's probably too good to be true.

Social media gift exchanges

Social media gift exchanges are another scam to look out for, basically an online Secret Santa. You might be asked to pay in exchange for getting gifts that never come. It might even be a pyramid scheme.

"They can be dangerous, and they're illegal if you're dealing with people you've never met inside this ring," Meza said.

Stick to in-person Secret Santas with people you know.

Why you should care:

Other tips

The BBB is also reminding people to be wary of AI scams where your voice can be cloned. 

"We see people fall into their own family members many times," Meza said.

If you're shopping online, it's always better to use a credit card in case you need to freeze your card. Your debit card is linked directly to your bank account. 

If you're on a website you've never heard of before, ask around, look at reviews, and cross-reference with the BBB. Double check URLs too — sometimes scammers will change one character to make a fake website, hoping you won't notice.