Harris: Recognizing Naughty Email Scams During the Holidays 

By Charlestien Harris, Retired Financial Coach at Southern Bancorp

Cybersecurity and fraud prevention have become big businesses for criminal elements. This reality is now a top concern and an expanding responsibility for consumers as the threat of attacks – such as phishing and fraudulent attempts to access your money – continues to grow. These scams are increasingly difficult to recognize because they are often disguised as common financial transactions. 

Let’s look at some scams you need to watch out for so you don’t become a victim of identity theft or fraudulent schemes.

1. Card Declined Scam

This scam often appears in your email inbox. You pay for an item online, then receive an email stating that your card has been declined and additional personal or card information is needed to complete the transaction. Sometimes, they may ask for another card, which could result in both cards being charged for the same purchase.

2. Package Delivery Scam

It’s the holidays – who isn’t expecting a delivery? Scammers use major and minor delivery services to grab your attention. It starts with an email notification claiming there is a problem with a package delivery at your address. Embedded links lead to fake sign-in pages requesting personal information or address corrections to reschedule delivery. The catch? You never ordered a package in the first place!

3. Purchased Merchandise Refund

I received this one, and it almost fooled me because I shop on Amazon frequently. The email claimed Amazon wanted to refund my purchase because the item didn’t meet quality standards, but they needed more information to process the refund. After thinking about it, I realized I hadn’t purchased the item they mentioned. Staying alert is critical during the holiday season!

4. Cloud Storage Is Full

I’ve seen this scam too. The email stated that I had used 92 percent of my 200 GB plan and needed to purchase additional storage. It included an active link to “manage my storage account,” which requested my card information. I deleted the email and reported it as spam. This is just another attempt to access your debit or credit card details.

5. Lookalike Digital Storefronts

Fraudsters clone legitimate e-commerce sites and retailers to steal credit card information or sell counterfeit merchandise. They often use URLs that differ from the real site by just one letter, then launch aggressive social media campaigns or flood your inbox with marketing emails to lure you in. Always verify the authenticity of any site before shopping.

6. Spoofing Scams

Spoofing is a cyber tactic where criminals disguise their identity by faking sender information – such as phone numbers, email addresses, websites, or IP addresses – to appear as a trusted source. These attempts often trick victims into providing personal information, revealing financial data, or downloading malware. Spoofed websites mimic legitimate ones so well that victims often don’t realize the fraud until it’s too late. Always check the legitimacy of any site requesting personal information.

You still have a few days to shop, so be aware of these scams and phishing attempts to access your personal information. As you can see, I’ve been targeted by some of these scams myself. Seniors are often more likely to be targeted – at 66, I fall into that group! Stay safe and protect your hard-earned money from scammers.

For more information on this and other financial topics, email me at charlestienharris77@gmail.com or write to Post Office Box 1825, Clarksdale, MS 38614. 

Until next week – stay financially fit!

Charletien Harris is our financial contributor, a retired financial coach with Southern Bancorps.