The Holiday season is the time when online phishing scams skyrocket. It's common for people to impersonate administrators in the District and ask for gift cards or money under the guise of buying gifts for staff members. Please be sure you are checking details in texts and emails, such as sender information. When in doubt, reach out to the PUSD Help Desk for support. If someone is asking for money via email or text, assume it is a scam!
Keep reading for other common schemes to be aware of and avoid.
1. Package Delivery Scams
A popular scam involves receiving a text or email that asks you to click on a link for a number of phony reasons, such as to get an update about the delivery date, track the package location, give your payment preferences, provide delivery instructions or pay a shipping fee. These messages often convey a sense of urgency. Clicking on the link may infect your phone or computer with malware that enables a cybercriminal to capture your passwords or take control of your device. Or it may direct you to a form that requests personally identifying information, which can be a gateway to identity theft.
2. Missed Package Scams
Who doesn’t hate missing a package delivery? Cybercriminals know this. So, they’ve created a ruse that involves leaving a note on your door claiming to have a package for you that couldn’t be delivered. The note contains a phone number to call to reschedule the delivery. If you call the number, you’ll be greeted with questions related to your personal identity that can later be used to commit fraud.
3. Social Media Scams
During the holidays, you might see promotions or contests on social media sites offering gift cards or vouchers in exchange for simply completing an online survey. Unfortunately, the survey usually isn’t legitimate. It’s only a means of capturing your personal information to commit identity fraud or other types of cybercrime. Or you might be offered a prize for just liking or sharing a social media post. But doing either could infect your device with malware.
4. Gift Card Scams
'Tis the season for gift cards. So, naturally scammers have devised some ploys to take advantage of this. A common gift card scam involves receiving a phony or “phishing” email or text that appears to be from someone you know—such as an executive at your company—and asks you to purchase multiple gift cards for a work-related function. Or perhaps it’s a personal request allegedly from a relative or friend who claims to need some help with ordering gift cards. If you receive any unusual requests for gift cards during the holidays, reach out directly to the individual by phone to confirm the authenticity of the request.
