Before & After the Click™The Gamethat helps empower you against scammers. Test your skills.

Holiday & Winter Scams

Scammers follow the calendar, because you do. Knowing what is coming takes away most of the surprise.

  1. November

    Black Friday and Cyber Monday

    Fake storefronts and social media advertisements. Look-alike retailer emails. “Your order could not be processed — update your card.”

  2. December

    Shipping season and giving season

    Delivery texts about held packages and redelivery fees. Gift card requests. Fake charities. Porch pirates paired with fake “delivery attempted” notices.

  3. Late December

    Family and travel

    The grandchild-in-trouble call, now with a cloned voice. Fake airline and hotel customer service numbers. Last-minute travel bargains that do not exist.

  4. January

    New year, new accounts

    “Your subscription renewed for $499 — call to cancel.” Gym, streaming, and antivirus renewal scams. Debt relief and credit repair offers.

  5. February

    Romance and refunds

    Romance and friendship scams peak. “We owe you a refund” calls that ask for remote access to your computer so they can “put the money back.”

  6. February – April

    Tax season

    Impostors claiming to be the IRS. Fake refund notices. Stolen refunds filed in your name. Bogus tax preparers who vanish after they are paid.

Red flags, all season long

  • Sudden urgency

    “Act now.” “Your account will be closed.” “Your package is on hold.” “Only three left.”

  • An odd way to pay

    Gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, a payment app, or a bank transfer to a stranger.

  • Requests for secrets

    Passwords, PINs, the six-digit code they just texted you, card numbers, bank details, or photographs of your identification.

  • Links and codes you did not expect

    Especially inside delivery notices, account alerts, parking tickets, and prize messages.

  • A price that is too good

    Dramatically cheaper than everywhere else, from a seller you have never heard of.

  • A demand for secrecy

    Being asked to keep a payment or conversation from your family, your bank, or a store employee.

  • A familiar voice in trouble

    Someone who sounds like your grandchild, your boss, or your bank and needs money in the next few minutes.

  • Pressure to install or share

    Asking you to install software, share your screen, or let someone connect to your device.

One rule covers most of it: an unusual way of paying is the single loudest warning sign there is.