Beware of Holiday Scams!

While you're looking for the perfect gift this holiday season, thieves are looking for the perfect target, which could be you.

Police say Christmas crooks are trying to take advantage of your hard earned money and holiday cheer. One Arklatex woman just got caught up in a scam that started with an email.
As NBC 6 reporter Karen Hopkins explains, this lady has a serious warning, asking people to be on the lookout.

"Be careful on common websites." Sarah from Bossier City wants to remain anonymous. Wednesday she got a suspicious email. "It was actually requesting money to be sent to myself in a different country."

She says a thief hacked into her email, and sent this message to all her friends: saying, “I made a trip to the UK and misplaced my passport. I'm out of cash can you loan me some funds?

"It actually included an address where the money was to be sent." But no money was sent. The crook accidentally forwarded the email to Sarah herself. "He didn't know he was sending it to me."
“During the holiday season it's unfortunate there is a certain segment of the criminal population looking to prey on good folks out there who have money to spend,” Cpl. Bill Goodin says.

If you're shopping online, don't do it on a public computer, it’s easier for crooks to steal your personal information.
Police say some criminals advertise discount luxury gifts, you pay, but nothing comes in the mail. Or, holiday e-cards, after you click, spyware loads into your computer to steal your identity.

Other crooks pose as a charity, taking advantage of holiday generosity. “If you're going to give to a charity, that's great, but make sure you know it’s 115 percent legitimate,” Goodin says.

Because falling for a scam will cost you. "When I went home and logged into my email account, every email I had ever saved had been wiped out." Sarah says now she has a stronger password to break.

Police say if you suspect a scam, call and report it.
If someone steals your personal information, close any accounts you believe the crooks accessed. You should also call to place a fraud alert on your credit report.

File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
It’s a federal agency that alerts law enforcement nationwide of the scam.