CINCINNATI — Christmas is a time for giving.
But to scammers, it is one of the best times of year for taking, because they know many of us let our guard down, trusting others who we normally might shy away from.
And many people are falling for two common scams on social media right now.
Government grant scams
Michael Malott loves setting up the decorations for his family's Christmas, in his Florence, Kentucky home.
But this year money is tight, with no stimulus checks and no more extended child tax credits.
So when a friend told him about a government grant he received, Malott was all ears.
"He messaged me on Facebook about a DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services) grant he just got," Malott said.
His friend even sent what he claimed was a photo of the thousands of dollars he got, spread out on a table in his home, and gave Malott a text number to reach the government agent who helped him collect his grant money.
But when that agent asked for money, via gift cards, to secure the grant, Mallot got suspicious.
His hunch was correct: when he called his friend, he learned his Facebook page had been hacked.
There was no government grant, just a holiday scam, to steal money.
Online puppy scams
But during the Christmas season it is so easy to be trusting, and fall for a social media scam.
Another common version -- the puppy scam -- targeted a woman who just wanted some companionship for the holidays.
Bridget Huddleston wanted to add a new puppy at her Aurora, Indiana home.
"I was on Facebook," she said, "looking for a small lapdog puppy."
She found a blonde Yorkie in a Facebook group, offered at a great price.
"It was just $200," she said.
But the puppy was over 1,000 miles away, and had to be shipped.
So the seller instructed her to buy a $200 Visa gift card, and send the numbers.
As soon as she did that, however, the seller disappeared: There was no puppy.
The Better Business Bureau says:
- Research any puppy seller carefully. A real breeder will have online reviews, and hopefully a BBB report.
- Avoid buying dogs you can't see in person.
- Never pay by gift card, Zelle, or Venmo, which are untraceable. Anything you send cannot be recovered.
Huddleston now just wants to warn others.
"It needs to stop," she said. "I just want to help the next person to know and prepare themselves."
Huddleston and Malott both want others to be careful during this season when we open our hearts, and become very vulnerable to scammers.
So be careful this holiday time, and be suspicious of unexpected Facebook messages, so you don't waste your money.
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