Holiday Scam Prevention Tips

It is important to watch out for fraud this holiday season. Common scams may come in the form of emails phishing for personal information or including malware links or fake online shopping discounts.  

Recently, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie issued a reminder to area residents of common scams that surface around the holidays: things like the grandparent scam—to trick senior citizens into thinking one of their grandkids is in trouble, calls for fake disaster relief funds, a false claim that you owe money to the IRS, or fake online websites. 

Considering those ongoing efforts to target older adults, Leader McCombie is urging Illinois residents to be wary, and to utilize the following resources to take extra care and caution to protect personal information:  

• Make sure you are buying things from reputable sources when shopping online. 

• Regularly check your credit card statement. 

• Do not click on links in unsolicited emails or texts. 

• Only open attachments from people you know. 

• Use strong passwords to secure credit card accounts. 

• Be careful when dealing with individuals outside the country. 

The  FBI, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Trade Commission and other government agencies offer more lists of common scams and how to spot them: 

Finally, Leader McCombie is reminding area residents to contact your local police department if you feel you may have been targeted.