NYPD, Secret Service issue alert on holiday shopping scams. Here's how to avoid becoming a victim.
NEW YORK -- The New York City Police Department is teaming up with the U.S. Secret Service to warn shoppers about an array of dangerous scams they're seeing this holiday season.
They're sounding the alarm as police investigate one scam that tricked a man into giving away nearly $2 million.
"Bad actors" seem to be everywhere
It's the most wonderful time of year in the Big Apple. But with so many people spending money, police say The Grinch isn't the only one out to steal Christmas.
"There are a lot of bad actors that are out to manipulate the system," NYPD Det. Daniel Alessandrino said.
Alessandrino said one victim recently gave up sensitive information to scammers posing as a bank's fraud prevention unit.
"That key information allowed these bad actors, these threat actors, to take almost $1.9 million from them, from this corporation," Alessandrino said.
Here's what the scammers are doing
Police are warning that scammers are working overtime during the holiday season. They're spoofing bank's phone numbers, stealing cash or gift cards from the mail, and even sending phony shipment tracking links that could contain malware.
To spread the word, the NYPD is teaming up with the Secret Service, an agency best known for presidential security duties but one that also investigates financial crimes. In addition to presidential and diplomatic security, the Secret Service also partners with the NYPD in the cyber world, working side by side on the Joint Cyber Task Force, investigating online scams and other cyber-criminal activity.
"If you're tracking a package, make sure it's from the retailer, itself, or from the carrier, itself," said Patrick Freaney, Special Agent in charge of the New York Field Office of the US Secret Service.
Here's what you can do to protect yourself
Experts say if you're unsure if it's really your bank calling, you can always hang up and call it directly. You should also never mail cash, and if you must mail a check you should keep an eye on your bank account for any suspicious activity and ask the recipient to let you know when they get it.
Police say online shoppers can know they're using a secure website if the URL says HTTPS next to a padlock.
"Don't rush. Don't be that victim because you rushed to click on a button or click on a link," Alessandrino said.
In 2023, it's estimated that over $70 million was lost due to fraud, just during the holiday season alone.
"Scammers operate off of social engineering, right? And when you look at just the information that people put out there about themselves, be it on various websites, and that's the one thing I would caution folks. Be careful what information you put out there," explained Freaney.
He cautions against oversharing particularly on social media, adding that information can be used for "malicious means," by scammers with just a few keystrokes anywhere on the globe, cautioned Freaney.
He also warns against online shopping scams. Freaney suggests knowing the retailers you're engaging with online, double check the URL web address, use secure passwords and don't use the same password for all your online activities. He also recommends using a secure and not publicly accessible WiFi network when shopping online to prevent fraud.
Experts are also warning business owners to be on the lookout as more people use counterfeit money this time of year. The US Customs and Border Enforcement agents recently seized $300,000 in counterfeit cash arriving in the United States via Kennedy Airport in Queens.
The Secret Service says, if something doesn't look right, don't be afraid to reference the Secret Service webpage called Know Your Money to learn how to detect counterfeit cash yourself. They says it's also important to let authorities know if you find knock-off bills in your wallet.
