Mobile Money Scams During Holidays and Festive Seasons
Festive seasons bring more transfers, gifts, travel and promotions, and more scams. Common holiday themes and the extra checks that keep your wallet safe at busy times.
Christmas, Eid, Diwali, Lunar New Year, national holidays and end-of-year celebrations all bring a rush of transfers: gifts, family support, travel and shopping. Scammers time their stories to match.
Common festive themes
- Holiday promotions and giveaways. See fake promotions.
- Travel tickets for buses, trains and flights home. See travel booking scams.
- Relatives stranded while travelling and needing money now. See family impersonation.
- Parcel and delivery messages for gifts. See parcel scams.
- Charity appeals at a generous time of year. See fake charity appeals.
- Cheap livestock, food hampers or electronics sold online for festivities.
Extra checks at busy times
- Slow down: set aside a few minutes before any unusual payment.
- Confirm family requests by calling their usual number.
- Buy tickets only from official operators.
- Check promotions on the provider's official channels.
- Keep limits sensible. See mobile money limits.
Related: seasonal scams. For more, see common mobile money scams.
Frequently asked questions
Why are there more scams at festive times?
People send more money, travel, shop and expect gifts and promotions, so scam stories fit naturally and people are busier and less careful.
What festive scams are common?
Fake promotions and giveaways, fake bus or travel tickets, fake parcel deliveries, and relatives 'stranded' while travelling.
What single habit helps most?
Slow down before any transfer and confirm requests by calling a known number.
Sources
- Fake Prize, Sweepstakes, and Lottery Scams, US Federal Trade Commission
- Avoid Scams When You Travel, US Federal Trade Commission
- Scam Advice, GSMA
