‘Tis the season for gift-giving, but authorities are warning holiday shoppers about scammers posing as delivery drivers.
Celia Surridge of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in Northeast California cautioned consumers in an attempt to protect their bank accounts.
“You really need to stop and think. That’s really what it comes down to,” said Surridge. “Scammers are constantly becoming more savvy to what gets people to respond.”
From Amazon to the postal service, scammers are using sophisticated tactics to trick unsuspecting shoppers.
Surridge advised shoppers to avoid clicking on links in texts and instead use official delivery service apps directly. She warned against trusting links that may appear legitimate but could lead to phishing sites.
“These crooks are getting sophisticated. They’re getting tricky, they’re getting more crafty with each and every scam,” added Amar Gandhi, a spokesperson for the Sacremento County Sheriff’s Office.
Scammers are now using names in texts to make their impersonations more convincing.
“They are getting very crafty in being able to spoof numbers, get your name, because again all your information is very readily available on the internet,” said Gandhi.
Officials stress the importance of reporting fraud crimes, as many victims fail to do so. If you find yourself falling victim to a scam, consider putting a fraud alert on all your credit reports.
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