Beware the ‘10 Facebook scams of Christmas’: Red flags to watch for
How to stay safe on Facebook this holiday season
As Christmas draws near, it’s not just holiday shoppers bustling with activity. Scammers are also hard at work, devising elaborate schemes to take advantage of the festive season.
With many turning to Facebook for holiday shopping, the platform has become a hotspot for sophisticated scams that can leave unsuspecting users empty-handed or worse, compromised.
Fraudsters create fake promotions for holiday gift boxes, luring victims with promises of huge discounts or free gifts. “Win a prize!” scams pull users into filling out surveys or paying fees, harvesting sensitive data in the process.
#1. Fraudulent holiday decoration sales
The holiday season is a prime time for scammers to prey on shoppers looking for festive decorations at great deals. They advertise non-existent or subpar holiday decorations at low prices.
Here's how to identify these scams and protect yourself from falling victim. If something seems off or too good to be true, it probably is. Take extra precautions or avoid the seller entirely.
These are the top Facebook scams to watch out for:
- How to spot them: Giveaways you didn’t enter; requests for personal or financial information.
- How to stay safe: Ignore unsolicited prize messages.
#2. Fake Christmas 'gift box' promotions
Fake Christmas "gift box" promotions are a common scam designed to exploit the holiday spirit of giving and excitement around festive deals. While they may appear harmless or enticing, these scams pose several significant dangers: Personal data theft, financial fraud, malware distribution, and loss of time and money.
Many fake gift box schemes request small “processing” or “shipping” fees, tricking victims into sharing their credit card or bank information. This can lead to unauthorized charges or outright theft from accounts.
Clicking on links in these promotions can download malware or viruses onto your device. These harmful programs may spy on your activities, steal sensitive information, or lock your files for ransom (ransomware).
Note: Fake gift box scams often masquerade as promotions from trusted brands, leveraging their reputation to gain credibility. Victims may unknowingly trust and engage with the scam because of the perceived legitimacy.
- How to spot them: Unrealistic prices or massive discounts, fake reviews, no contact information or customer service numbers, poorly designed websites, often with grammatical errors, pixelated images, or inconsistent designs. There's also pressure to buy quickly to create a sense of urgency with phrases like “Limited Stock!” or “Offer Ends Soon!”
- How to protect yourself: Be skeptical of 'free" offers; avoid clicking links; check official websites or social media pages of brands to confirm the promotion’s legitimacy; Read the refund policy, always check if the website URL starts with “https://” and displays a padlock symbol, compare prices with reputable retailers, do not rush you into buying, be cautious of sellers that only accept untraceable payment methods like cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or gift cards, use secure payment methods, and monitor your bank statements
#3. Fake online stores
These scams often feature ads or posts promoting unbelievable deals from bogus stores that mimic trusted brands. Shoppers either receive subpar goods or nothing at all.
- How to spot them: Overly generous discounts; no clear refund policies; fake or absent customer reviews.
- How to stay safe: Research store websites and verify their legitimacy; Look for reviews on external platforms.
#4. Counterfeit products | retail coupons
Fake coupon schemes designed to exploit shoppers seeking holiday discounts.
- How to spot them: Suspiciously low prices; poor-quality product images; scammers peddle fake luxury goods like designer bags and electronics, claiming they’re authentic.
- How to stay safe: Buy branded items only from official retailers.
#5. Facebook Marketplace fraud
From fake listings to demands for deposits, scammers target buyers with attractive offers that don’t deliver.
- How to spot them: Sellers avoid in-person transactions; Payment requests through insecure methods like wire transfers.
- How to stay safe: Insist on face-to-face transactions and secure payment methods.
#6. Subscription traps
“Free trial” ads for products like beauty items often hide recurring, costly subscriptions in the fine print.
- How to spot them: Terms buried or unavailable; Credit card required for a “free” trial.
- How to stay safe: Avoid trials requiring payment details.
#7. Phishing links and clone websites
This is where scammers use ads or posts with links leading to fake sites designed to steal personal or financial data.
How to spot them:
- How to spot them: Mismatched or suspicious URLs; Lack of “HTTPS” security.
- How to stay safe: Double-check URLs before entering any information.
#8. Overpayment scam
Fraudsters posing as buyers overpay with fake checks and ask for refunds on the excess.
How to spot them:
- How to spot them: Requests for refunds or alternative payment arrangements.
- How to stay safe: Avoid dealing with unusual payment methods.
#9. Rental and vacation property scams
Scammers post attractive property listings, request deposits, then disappear.
- How to spot them: Refusal to meet in person or allow property visits; unrealistically low prices.
- How to stay safe: Always inspect properties before payment.
#10. Investment scams
Ads promoting resellable products with high returns often lead to nothing delivered.
- How to spot them: Urgent pressure tactics; offers with unrealistic profit margins.
- How to stay safe: Conduct due diligence before making payments.
Meta warning
On Monday, December 9, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, announced a drive to combat holiday shopping scams as part of its worldwide anti-scam awareness campaign.
The 2 million deactivated accounts were traced in "scam hubs" located in Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, and the Philippines, according to Facebook parent firm Meta.
In addition, Meta reported significant enforcement actions in other regions, including the removal of 15,000 phishing URLs in Vietnam and 9,000 in Singapore, highlighting the global scale of scam operations during the holiday season. Facebook has over 3 billion monthly active users (as of April 2024) and 2. 11 billion daily active users (DAUs) – meaning 68.85% of monthly users log in daily.
As of April 2024, Facebook has over 3 billion monthly active users (MAUs). Facebook has 2.11 billion daily active users (DAUs), meaning 68.85% of monthly users log in daily.
The largest age group on Facebook is 25–34, making up 29.9 per cent of all active users. The 18–24 age group makes up 21.5 per cent of all active users.