Life Kit (NPR): “Watch out for these holiday scams”

Host: Marielle Segarra
Guest Expert: Amy Nofziger (Senior Director of Fraud Victim Support, AARP Fraud Watch Network)
Release Date: December 11, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode spotlights the surge in consumer scams during the holiday season—a time when increased spending, distractions, and goodwill can make people more vulnerable to fraud. Host Marielle Segarra and guest Amy Nofziger, a fraud expert from AARP, break down how these scams work, how to avoid them, and what to do if you’re caught in one. The tone is practical, supportive, and clear: everyone is susceptible, and by sharing knowledge, you can protect yourself and others.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Holiday Scams Increase

• Distraction and Pressure:
  • People are rushed, emotional, and eager to save or give, which scammers exploit.
• Prevalence Across Ages:
  • “Fraud does happen to everyone...I’ve gotten scammed buying something online and I’ve had some near misses too. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.” (Marielle, 01:29)

2. Online Shopping Scams

Red Flags:

• Too-good-to-be-true prices, especially for "hot ticket" items unavailable elsewhere.
• If a vendor is unfamiliar or has prices much lower than others, that’s a major warning sign.
• “If you are looking for the hot ticket item, or any ticket item for that matter, and you’re using a vendor that you haven’t normally used, take the name of the vendor, put it in a new search bar and type the word scam, fraud, [or] complaint after it.” (Amy, 03:54)

Social Media & Third-Party Sellers:

• Don’t trust ads just because they’re on big platforms; social media ads are largely unvetted.
• “People don’t really understand that a lot of these ads that are on social media are not vetted. We have this level of comfort...but they don’t.” (Amy, 05:16)
• Marielle shares a personal story of falling for a website’s fake certification (07:02).

Best Practices:

• Always use a credit card (not debit, Venmo, Zelle, or crypto); credit cards offer better fraud protections. (Amy, 06:29)
• Independently research vendors—look for real reviews and credentials.

3. Gift Card Scams

• How It Works:
  • Organized criminals lift stacks of cards, record the numbers & PINs, replace them, then drain funds once activated by a real buyer. (Amy, 08:19)
• You could lose money before you even leave the store.
• “Buy the ones up close to the front of the store...close to the point of sale by customer service or by the cashier.” (Amy, 09:15)
• E-gift cards may be safer; always keep your receipt as proof.

Phony Gift Card Requests:

• Ignore unsolicited texts or emails asking you to buy gift cards for someone else, even if they claim to be a boss or family member.
• “If you get a text or an email asking you to buy a gift card for someone, don’t do it.” (Marielle, 10:05)

4. Charity Donation Scams

• Fake Charities:
  • Criminals set up fraudulent charities or fundraising campaigns.
• Trust only charities you’ve researched and vetted.
• “Only donate to who you have vetted and who you know. And we want people to give. We just want them to give wisely.” (Amy, 11:01)
• Don’t donate over the phone or via street requests without research. Request cards or flyers, take info home, and check it out.
• Refusal scripts are useful: “I don’t have a minute right now, but if you have a business card or a flyer about your charity, I’ll go home and do some research and decide if I want to give.” (Amy, 11:49)

5. Toll Road and Delivery Text Scams

• Fake Toll Texts:
  • Scam texts claim you owe a small toll fee; the aim is stealing your credit card info.
  • “The criminals weren’t after that $7. What they were after was your credit card number.” (Amy, 14:47)
  • They may follow up with “reload” scams, threatening DMV action.

Best Practices:

• Real toll charges come by mail, from rental car agencies, or E-Z Pass—never via unsolicited texts.
• Never pay a toll or provide info through a link in a random text. If unsure, check the toll agency's official site. (Amy, 15:58)

Fake Delivery Notifications:

• Messages claim a package is held up—click to fix an address or pay a fee.
• “If you’re sending out packages ... most of the time, if there is ever a problem ... you’re going to hear from the vendor, not the shipping company.” (Amy, 17:25)
• Keep lists of what you’re sending and tracking numbers; if in doubt, verify directly with vendors.

6. Travel and Customer Service Scams

• Fake Travel Sites:

  • Last-minute deals on flights, cars, etc., may direct you to sophisticated fraudulent websites demanding gift card payments—then no reservation exists on arrival.

• Fake Customer Service Contacts:

  • Searching for help online may land you on phishing sites; always navigate directly from the official company page.

• “Try to stay to the vendors that you have a relationship with that you know.” (Amy, 19:24)

7. If You’ve Been Scammed: Steps to Take

• Immediate Actions:

  • “First and foremost, stop the communication with the criminal. You’re not going to shame them into giving your money back.” (Amy, 20:21)
  • Report it right away (local law enforcement, the FBI’s IC3, bank/credit card company, AARP Fraud Watch Network).

• Quick reporting may help recover funds and is essential for credit card/dispute processes.

• “Reporting a crime and talking about it is the first step in healing from the experience.” (Marielle, 22:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On shame and fraud:
  • “It’s nothing to be ashamed of.” (Marielle, 01:35)
• On fake social media vendors:
  • “People don’t really understand that a lot of these ads that are on social media are not vetted.” (Amy, 05:16)
• On real-life absurdity:
  • “Someone in my family ordered something … instead they eventually got a piece of paper with a picture of a book on it, which is so upsetting.” (Marielle, 05:38)
• Refusal script for unwanted charity solicitations:
  • “That’s practice. That’s what we need to do. We need to practice these kind of refusal scripts.” (Amy, 11:52)
• On how to act if scammed:
  • “Stop the communication with the criminal…report it quickly.” (Amy, 20:21)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Time | |-------------------------------------- |----------| | Holiday scams overview | 00:23 | | Online shopping scams | 03:16 | | Vetted vs. fraudulent vendors | 03:54 | | Social media ad dangers | 05:16 | | Gift card carousel scam explained | 08:19 | | Charity scams and refusal scripts | 10:48 | | Toll and delivery text scams | 14:08 | | Travel site and customer service scams| 19:02 | | What to do if scammed | 20:18 | | Recap of takeaways | 21:06 |

Main Takeaways (Recap)

1. Do your homework before making any online purchase—especially if it’s a new vendor or a deal that seems too good to be true.
   • Always use a credit card for added protection.
2. Gift cards:
   • Buy from trusted sources, ideally cards kept at the register. Save your receipt. Never buy gift cards on someone else’s request via text/email.
3. Charity:
   • Give only to organizations you’ve personally vetted. Take time to check legitimacy, especially with new requests.
4. Tolls & deliveries:
   • Don’t click links from unsolicited messages. Go through official channels for toll payments and delivery inquiries.
5. If caught in a scam:
   • Cease communication, alert your financial institutions, and report the incident promptly. It’s common, and help is available.

Tone: Friendly, empathetic, nonjudgmental, empowering ("Everyone is vulnerable—being informed is your best defense.")

For further help:

• Report scams to local law enforcement, the FBI’s ic3.gov, or AARP’s Fraud Watch Network Helpline.

This summary provides a practical guide for recognizing and avoiding holiday scams, featuring expert advice, actionable tips, and the reassurance that vigilance—not perfection—is the goal.