The Federal Bureau of Investigation - Pittsburgh is reminding the public to remain vigilant against criminals who want to spoil the holiday season by attempting to steal money and personal information. 

According to the FBI, the public should watch out for the following scams: 

  • Non-Delivery Scams - A buyer pays for goods or services they find online, but those items are never received.
  • Non-Payment Scams - Goods or services are shipped, but the seller is never paid.
  • Auction Fraud - Involves a seller deliberately misrepresenting the condition or quality of an item on an auction website.
  • Gift Card Fraud - Scammers can steal numbers and security codes from gift cards in stores and wait for them to be activated, or consumers can be asked to pay for goods or services with a pre-paid card.

In addition to these scams, the FBI is reminding the public to be on the lookout for phishing, smishing, vishing, spoofing, and pharming while shopping for gifts online this holiday season. 

In 2023, data from the FBI's Internet Crime Compliant Center shows Pennsylvanians lost nearly $9 million in Non-Payment/Non-Delivery schemes and nearly $200,000 in phishing scams. 

The FBI offers the following tips to stay safe this holiday season:

  • Before shopping online, secure all financial accounts with strong passwords or passphrases. The FBI recommends using different passwords for each financial account.
  • As usual, if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Buy directly from a secure and reputable website; steer clear of unfamiliar sites offering unrealistic discounts on brand-name merchandise.
  • Verify the legitimacy of buyers or sellers before making a purchase. If you’re using an online marketplace or auction website, check feedback ratings.
  • Avoid sellers and websites that demand payment solely through gift cards. Scammers also sometimes encourage shoppers to conduct wire transfers, allowing criminals to quickly receive illicit funds. Credit cards provide several layers of security against fraud and are typically the safest way to conduct online shopping.
  • Check bank and credit card statements routinely, including after making online purchases and in the weeks following the holidays.
  • Never give personal information like your date of birth or Social Security number to anyone you don’t know.
  • Always get a tracking number for items purchased online so you can make sure the shipment has occurred and you can follow the process.

The FBI says if you become a victim of a scam, you should contact your bank immediately.