The holiday season brings joy, travel and gift-giving, but it also brings increased risk of scams. As you check off your seasonal to-do list, make sure protecting your money is part of the plan.
“The holidays are prime time for scammers,” said Tatiana Roberts, Chase Community Manager in Los Angeles. “Education is your best defense. Knowing what to look for can help you protect yourself and your loved ones.”
To support communities nationwide, Chase is hosting more than 20 free scam prevention workshops during International Fraud Awareness Week (November 16–22). These events, held in partnership with local law enforcement and community organizations, are open to the public and designed to help attendees recognize and avoid common scams. Chase hosts over 1,000 fraud education workshops annually across its 5,000+ branches.
Chase will host a fraud and scam education workshop at Crenshaw Christian Center branch at 7901 S Vermont Ave in Los Angeles on Thursday, November 20 at 11 a.m. PT. The event is free and open to the public. Come learn from financial experts about how to protect your money during the holiday season. RSVP for the workshop today.
Tips to help protect your money
Here are a few tips to help you stay safe from scams this season:
- Watch out for fake deals. We all love a good deal, but beware of potential scams. Scammers often use fake websites or ads to lure shoppers with deep discounts on popular items. If it feels “too good to be true,” trust your gut; it might be a scam.
- Stick to trusted retailers. Always verify URLs when shopping online. A helpful tip is to ensure the URL starts with “https://” (the ‘s’ stands for secure) as scammers can create fake websites to look like legitimate retailers. Be especially cautious when purchasing on a social media marketplace. Consider using your debit or credit cards for purchases as they may provide protections that allow you to dispute a charge if you don’t get what you paid for.
- Use protected payment methods. Not all payment methods offer purchase protection. As you shop this holiday season, consider using payment methods that can be tracked and offer purchase protections that allow you to dispute a charge if it turns out to be a scam. Other payment methods, like Zelle®, should only be used to send and receive money with people you know and trust.
- Monitor your identity. Tools like Chase Credit Journey® offer free credit and identity monitoring. It can alert you if your information appears in a data breach or on the dark web. It’s free to use, even if you’re not a Chase customer.
Visit Chase.com/Security for more online safety tips.
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC
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