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With the holiday season upon us, many community members may be thinking about buying gifts, booking travel, and preparing for celebrations. Unfortunately, it’s also a time when we typically see an increase in scam activity.
Scammers know that during the lead-up to the holidays, people are typically spending more, shopping online more often, and feeling generous. This can create the perfect environment for exploiting distractions and emotions as scammers use sophisticated and intimidating tactics that can be hard to detect.
From utility scams to fake charity appeals to online shopping fraud, winter is a peak time for scams — but with a few simple precautions, you can keep your money and personal information safe. Stay informed this season and protect your personal information.
Common Scams
Utility Shut-off Scare: Scammers will impersonate a utility company employee and call without prior notification demanding immediate payment to avoid shut-off. Customers scheduled for disconnection due to nonpayment will always receive written notice via the U.S. mail first, which includes actions to maintain service.
Be wary any time someone tries to convince you that you must act immediately to avoid service shut-off. Utility companies will also never ask for payment via gift card, pre-paid debit card or Bitcoin.
Overpayment Scam: Scammers call claiming that you overpaid your cable or utility bill and request your personal bank account or credit card information to give you a refund.
Charity Scams: During the festive period, scammers exploit goodwill by posing as legitimate charities or fundraising platforms. Before donating, research the charity or contact them directly using details from their official website.
Online Shopping and Marketplace Scams: Fraudsters often set up fake websites or listings offering popular gifts at unbelievable prices. Once payment is made, the item never arrives — and your money is gone.
Phishing Scam: Scammers pretending to be from legitimate companies will send an email or text message requesting personal or financial information in exchange for things like “Free Gift Cards” or “giveaways”.
How can you protect yourself?
There are steps you can take to minimize your risk of being prey to a scammer.
Verify a caller is legitimate by asking for basic information. Representatives should always be able to provide the name on an account, the account address and the exact past due balance.
Never immediately pay, regardless of what the caller knows about your account or offers as an incentive. If the caller is requesting an immediate payment using a third-party service, at another location or via a prepaid debit card, hang up immediately and contact us.
Never wire money to someone you don’t know. Once you wire money, you cannot get it back.
Do not accept offers from anyone to pay your bill or provide any other service for a fee. Even if the person you're speaking with claims to be an Eversource employee, it's likely a scam.
Do not click on links or call numbers that appear in unexpected emails or texts. If you click on a link, your computer could become infected with malware, including viruses that can steal your information and compromise your computer.
Do not make purchases of any kind before researching the seller and/or company. Read seller reviews on sites like Facebook Marketplace or eBay, and look up whether a website is trusted and legitimate before buying anything from them. More often than not, a quick Google search can reveal the true nature of a site and save you money and a headache down the line.
If you believe you have been victimized by a scam, we encourage you to notify your financial institutions and file a report with your local police department. For incidents that took place in Cambridge, reports can be filed at the front desk of the Cambridge Police Station located at 125 Sixth Street, in the Central Square Reporting Station, or by calling (617) 349-3300.
Staying vigilant doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the festive season — it just means being cautious and aware.
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