SAN ANTONIO — With Christmas less than two weeks away, shoppers are beginning to stock up on their holiday gifts. Between millions going to shops and buying online, the San Antonio Police Department is warning consumers to keep a close eye on their bank statements.
This year the National Retail Federation says Americans are expected spend more than $700 billion for the holiday, and culprits have a long list of tricks to choose from. The Better Business Bureau released a list of schemes, including lookalike websites, that could swindle shoppers out of their money.
Lieutenant Marcus Booth, who heads up SAPD's Financial Crimes Unit, said there are a few ways people can protect themselves when shopping online. For one, he recommends going to a store's website and looking for the padlock symbol, which determines that its a secure domain.
He says crooks will also use websites like Family Tree Now to dig up family history that they can use to target families.
"They will figure out a grandson’s name, they will call and indicate that the grandson has been arrested he needs money to get out of jail," Booth said.
According to the BBB, criminals are also targeting gift cards and spending the money online. The bureau says crooks will steal numbers from the backs of gift cards and track them until they are purchased; once they are, they will cash in.
The nonprofit strongly suggests that people select a gift card with a hidden code, as well as buying cards that haven't been tampered with.
With a number of schemes being undertaken, Booth said sometimes consumers can take all the necessary precautions and still fall victim. The best thing you can do, he said, is to closely monitor your bank account.
"Avoid debit, use credit if there is a breach on your credit card. Your bank will generally shut the account down, but that keeps your checking account intact," he said.
He added the biggest crime he notices during the Christmas season doesn't happen online; it's people stealing presents from cars.