Stay Safe from Scammers: What to Watch for This Holiday Season

All Kaleigh wanted to do was buy socks for her husband.

Christmas was coming, and a Facebook ad offered an incredible deal on his favorite Darn Tough hiking socks. She clicked the ad, entered her information, and placed the order. Soon afterward, the calls from unknown numbers started. Weeks passed, and the socks never arrived. What looked like a trusted brand’s website was a fake.

She had fallen for a scam while trying to do something thoughtful for someone she loved.

Speaking of love, let me tell you about Kirt.

Kirt met Katie online. Over a few months of WhatsApp messages and one in-person visit, they began talking about a future together. Katie was in Rochester caring for her sick mother. She was having trouble accessing her own bank accounts, so Kirt helped her out a few times. Then her mother needed emergency heart surgery, and the hospital wanted $200,000 before they would operate. Katie, embarrassed, asked Kirt for a loan. So Kirt emailed me with a question: What would the tax implications be on a large IRA withdrawal to help a friend?

And then there’s Jim.

On a beautiful spring afternoon, Jim finished mowing his lawn, poured a tall glass of iced tea, and sat down to check his email. A pop-up warned that his computer had been hacked and told him to call tech support right away. “Susan” from Microsoft was calm and reassuring. She verified his information, took remote control of his computer, and then her tone changed. She said she’d found illegal files on his machine, as well as evidence that his bank accounts had been compromised. Within minutes, Jim was transferred to “Mark” from his bank’s fraud department, who then instructed him to withdraw his savings in cash. Jim climbed into his truck and drove to the bank with Mark still on the line.

Everyone has a story

Three people. Three different scams. Each one turned something good against them. Kaleigh’s generosity. Kirt’s hope for companionship. Jim’s instinct to protect what he’d worked for.

We’ll come back to how each story ended.

A few weeks ago, I presented a workshop at West Shore Free Church in Mechanicsburg on how to protect yourself and your loved ones from scammers. I opened by inviting attendees to share their own experiences.

It was both sad and far from shocking to see that everyone had a story or knew someone who did.

As we discussed that day, scammers prey on urgency, isolation, and embarrassment. But the point in sharing these stories isn’t to judge what someone “should have” noticed. Rather, it’s about helping people realize how common these are, and encouraging open conversations with those close to us so we can help keep each other safe.

With the holidays approaching, we’re shopping for loved ones, giving to causes we care about, and waiting on packages. And scammers know it. So as we head into the holiday season this year, I want like to highlight four types of scams to watch for, along with practical ways to protect yourself and the people you love.

1) Shopping Scams

The scam: Like Kaleigh’s socks, many shopping scams start with a social media ad. According to the Federal Trade Commission, shopping scams were the most reported type of social media scam in 2025, and more than 40% of people who lost money to a scam on social media said they had ordered something they saw in an ad. Facebook was the platform where people reported losing the most. These fake ads and websites copy familiar logos and advertise irresistible deals.

What to do: Go directly to the retailer’s website instead of clicking an ad on social media. Research unfamiliar sellers, and pay by credit card when possible to give you the best chance of disputing a charge. Remember, if the deal seems too good to be true…it is.

2) Romance Scams

The scam: Someone you meet online moves the relationship along quickly and talks about a shared future. Eventually there’s an emergency (medical, legal, or travel) and a request for money. The asks usually start small and grow.

What to do: NEVER send money to someone you’ve only gotten to know online, regardless of how real the relationship feels. Introduce new online friends to someone you trust early on. Search their name, photos, and story online, since scammers often reuse the same material.

3) Impersonation Scams

The scam: A pop-up, text, or call claims there’s a problem with your computer, your package, or your bank. Or someone poses as a government agency or a loved one in trouble. They prey on urgency and panic before you have time to get your “thinking brain back online” and check the story.

What to do: Stop the conversation and contact the person or organization directly using a number you already trust. If anyone tells you to move money to “keep it safe” or to keep a secret from your bank, it’s a scam.

4) Charity Scams

The scam: A heartfelt appeal lands hard during the season of giving. Scammers invent a charity or pose as one you recognize, then pressure you to give right now.

What to do: Research the organization independently. Give through its verified website or a phone number you look up yourself, never a link or number from an unexpected message.

How the stories ended

While the names have been changed for anonymity, all of these stories hit close to home for me—they’re all people I personally know (and who have agreed to let me share their stories).

Kaleigh. Kaleigh paid with a credit card, and as soon as she realized what happened, she requested a new card and updated her bank logins and passwords. Fortunately, the only thing she was out was the price of the socks and a bit of her pride. That embarrassment though is exactly what scammers count on, because it usually keeps their victims quiet.

Kirt. As soon as I read Kirt’s email, I picked up the phone. Kirt had already sent Katie more than $12,000 over the summer. Katie had “paid” $20,000 toward his mortgage and credit cards as a show of good faith, but those payments came from invalid account numbers and were reversed days after Kirt confirmed them. When Kirt finally told her he wouldn’t send any more money, she became aggressive and abusive. Katie, her mother, and the surgery were never real. Kirt was two days away from losing more than $200,000 of his retirement savings.

Jim. When he asked to withdraw a large sum, the teller asked why. Following Mark’s instructions, Jim said it was to help a friend. Fortunately, the teller knew something was off and brought over the branch manager. Jim eventually slipped his phone into his pocket and told the manager everything. The manager told him, kindly and firmly, that he was being scammed. When Jim pulled his phone back out, Mark had already hung up. While Jim fortunately didn’t lose a dime, he did spend hours cleaning up—wiping spyware off his computer, closing and reopening bank accounts, freezing his credit, and rerouting his pension and Social Security deposits.

And Jim isn’t a careless guy. In fact, he’s one of the smartest and most careful guys I know. That’s because he’s my dad, James Denlinger. If it can happen to Jim, it can happen to anyone.