This can work in two ways, trough email, text message or social-media post, the gift-check scam is more popular during Christmas season where people are buying on this a lot. The scam goes like this; a message will appear from nowhere announcing you a winner of a popular retail gift card. You are then instructed to follow a link and when you click it you will be directed to a site that is a remarkable clone of the real thing. This site will ask for your personal information like your email, birth date and favorite color. This indicates that you're directed off the bogus site to a credit-card application, and because you filled-up this information sheet the fraudster has what he wants. You can also deceived by buying bogus card online from third parties. And if buying over the counter, make sure the PIN code on the back hasn't been scratched off, an indication that it's been hacked by someone in the store.



This next bogus often comes via email. This one is called package-delivery scam. It appears to be from a legitimate company, the email gives the impression of being genuine complete with a phony tracking number and a note about the delivery error. There's an attachment with a made-up delivery label that you're told to take to the nearest delivery office to get the package. Open it, and you'll be subjecting your computer or smartphone to malware and virus attacks.



These E-cards appears to be seemingly harmless thank you note or holiday greetings but you will never know until you click on it and it could be spyware or viruses that automatically download when opened or when they direct you to download to see the card.



Best-deal-ever scams, if it is to good to be true more like it is a scam, it is a lie. The idea is they will attract you on deals and items then after sending them the money you will not get anything in return. They will say that items are limited and rare to find so they are selling it for higher prices on online auction site but afterwards you will not see the items and the sellers of course.



This scam is actually new but because of the rampant use of tablets and social media accounts, Social-media mayhem as they call it, is very popular nowadays. The illicit person use social media sites just as they would emails with offers of raffles, fan-page deals and discounts that really are bait to infect your systems or lure more personal information out of you. This can come from real friends whose accounts were hacked. Always look closely at the URLs before clicking on them, or better yet, go directly to the retailer or manufacturer's site yourself. Double check always.



We never tell when and where these criminals will attact but we can be aware of their bogus acts so that we can protect ourselves. Christmas is nearing and for sure crooks are just there waiting for their preys.