We love warning our clients and readers about all types of scams they may befall. A new holiday season means new ways for scammers to get you. As a result, we have this 2025 Houston Bookkeeper’s Guide to Holiday Scams.

1. The Perfect Gift Scam

Each year sees a hot new toy, piece of tech, or gadget that everyone wants. Scammers know this and put out offers too good to be true. Once such scam involved a mother looking for a specific drone for her son. She found one on a neighborhood social media group. The seller insisted on a Zelle payment in order to secure the drone. The mother paid and when she showed up to pick up the drone, the scammer was nowhere to be seen. Mom ended up losing hundreds of dollars and did not end up getting the drone. Here is how she could have avoided it:

  • Check the profile of the seller to see how long he/she has had a profile.
  • See if they have sold anything in the past.
  • Pay in cash at the time of purchase (good for both seller and buyer).
  • Meet in a safe and public area, such as your local police station.

Did you know? Americans will spend approximately $242 billion on Christmas gifts this year, and another $311 billion on flights? Source: Nerd Wallet

2. Travel Scams

People travel much more during the holidays and incur a lot of one time expenses. Scammers know this and may bombard you with false claims that you still owe money for travel. This can include tolls, hotel fees, airline fees, travel taxes, and much more. These are likely to come with threats of late fees, penalties, and interest if you do not pay ASAP. And of course, they will ask for non-traditional forms of payments such as Zelle, Venmo, and the staple of scammers: gift cards. We recommend you keep track of your travel expenses, and contact the provider directly in regards to any unpaid bills. Do not answer texts or click on any links.

3. Delivery Scam Email

We all order more items during the holidays and often forget what we ordered, for whom, from where, and much more. We have also received several emails from senders who are allegedly from a reputable shipping company who need your complete address in order “to promptly deliver your package.” They will offer to fix the issue for you for a small fee. All you have to do is hand over your credit card information. The next thing you know, your credit card can light up with hundreds of even thousands of charges you did not authorize. Remember that the big carriers know your address, especially if you’ve received items from them before. Never answer these texts or emails. Contact the seller directly if you are wondering about the status of a shipment.

Did you know? Between Thanksgiving and Christmas approximately 106 million packages get delivered each day? Source: Tabcut

More on the Houston Bookkeeper’s Guide to Holiday Scams in Houston

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