Attorney General Bird Warns Iowans “Tis the Season” for Scams

DES MOINES—Attorney General Brenna Bird is giving Iowans tips for a scam-free holiday season.

As many Iowans are preparing for the holidays, scammers are working hard to take advantage of them. It’s now common for Black Friday sales to run all month long, Cyber Monday has become one of the top shopping days of the year, and Giving Tuesday participation is steadily increasing. While these are great opportunities to cross items of your holiday shopping lists or give back to your community, it’s also an active time for scams.

“It’s important to watch out for deals that seem too good to be true and know who you are giving to,” said Attorney General Bird. “Scammers are looking to prey on Iowans’ generosity and those looking for good deals.”

• Double check websites. Many scammers create websites identical to well-known retailers with deals too good to pass up. These websites can even pop-up on your social media. Check for spelling errors in the web address, look at reviews, and review a company’s contact info to ensure it’s a legitimate company.     
• Look out for “exclusive deal” emails or texts. Don’t click on suspicious links from unknown senders. Many scammers are looking for a way to gather your private information. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  
• Be wary of gift card scams. Make sure the gift cards you buy have intact security codes. Sometimes scammers will try to sell discounted gift cards. Only purchase gift cards from trusted retailers.  
• Beware of “order confirmation” or “failed delivery” scams. Scammers will send phishing texts or emails alerting you to a supposed problem with delivery and request your personal information to receive your order. Never send your private information to an unverified source. 
• Research causes and organizations. Search online for the name of the organization or cause with words like “review,” “scam,” or “complaint.” See if others have had good or bad experiences with the charity. Double-check the exact name of the organization. Scammers will pick names or use website addresses that sound very similar to legitimate well-known charities. 
• Ask questions and don’t give into pressure to give quickly. If the request for a donation is over the phone, the caller should be able to answer critical questions. For example, how much of your donation will go to the program you want to help? Is the caller raising funds for a charity or for a Political Action Committee? You don’t have to give over the phone, and anybody who pressures you is someone you want to avoid giving to. Simply hang up.  
• Use a credit card. Credit cards can offer stronger scam protection than debit cards and can prevent large financial losses. 

If you or someone you know has been targeted by a scam, contact the Iowa Attorney General’s office at 1-888-777-4590 or file a complaint online: https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-consumers/file-a-consumer-complaint. You can also contact your local law enforcement.