Fake charity and gift card scams are rampant: how to protect oneself during holidays?

During the annual holiday season, there is also a high incidence of various fraudulent activities. Jeff Horncastle, a communication officer at the Canadian Anti Fraud Center, reminds: "Try to choose merchants who have used it before. If it is your first time using it, please conduct a thorough investigation of the company before providing personal or credit card information

Counterfeit goods and fraudulent online transactions

Many people become victims of counterfeit goods and fake online services during the holiday season.

Fishing emails and text messages

Fake and trustworthy emails or text messages requesting or confirming personal information frequently occur during holidays.

Charitable and investment scams

Horncastle said, 'Fake charity scams are particularly common during holiday periods, as well as cryptocurrency investment scams and romantic scams. This period may feel lonely for many people.'.

Gift Card Scam

Scammers will paste the barcode of stolen gift cards onto gift cards that have not been purchased in the store. When a customer activates a card, they actually activate the gift card held by the fraudster.

Experts suggest wiping the back of gift cards with your fingers to check for duplicate barcodes when purchasing them.

Fraud Cases and Losses

Toronto police reported that there were over 16500 fraud cases in the city this year, resulting in losses of up to 365 million Canadian dollars, a 20% increase from 2023.

According to data from the Canadian Anti Fraud Center, as of October 31st this year, there were over 40000 reported fraud incidents nationwide, involving more than 28000 victims and a total loss of over 500 million Canadian dollars. It is expected that only 5% to 10% of victims will report to the police.