Charity warns of holiday scams

E-victims has revealed a list of the most common scams it has seen in the run up to Christmas.

The charity, which gives advice to people who have been ripped off online, said it also expected the scams to continue over Christmas and during the January sales.

E-victims said the most common scams involved rogue traders setting up websites selling gadgets such as PS3s, Nintendo DS games consoles and the latest mobile phones. The warning signs to look out for are prices that are too good to be true or sites selling must-have devices that are hard to get in the high street.

Last Christmas Computeractive reported on a scam where thousands of people had paid for Nintendo DS Lite consoles from a firm based in Asia. Some people received their consoles but the majority were seized by HMRC because the units were counterfeit.

E-victims has also warned people to be wary of site selling blockbuster movies to download. Such sites often fool people into believing they are legitimate by taking a monthly or yearly subscription charge, but the download links offered only take people to file-sharing sites where illegal copies can be found.

Jennifer Perry, founder of E-victims, also said the fake delivery emails are turning up again. These emails claim a courier has tried to deliver a parcel but the links given direct the recipient to sites set up to steal personal information or to download malicious software.

The charity also warned people to be wary of emails that contain e-cards and jokes. Even if they appear to be from a friend, scammers may have compromised their email account. For example, an e-card may ask the recipient to click on a link. This can download malware and also harvest all the contacts in a person’s address book.

Mrs Perry said: “People should always check with their friends first to make sure they sent the card before you click the link.”