Attorney General Warns Shoppers of Increasingly Sophisticated Holiday Scams

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With Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday fast approaching, Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown is warning shoppers to watch for increasingly sophisticated holiday scams. Consumer fraud hit record levels in 2024, with Americans losing more than $12.5 billion—a 25% jump from the previous year, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Attorney General Brown says scammers often target people searching for holiday deals and urges shoppers to verify retailers and protect their payment information. AI-driven schemes are also rising sharply. Deepfake and AI voice-cloning scams—sometimes created from just three seconds of audio—are making fake websites, phishing emails, and fraudulent ads even harder to detect. The holiday rush adds to the risk, as pressure to buy quickly can lead consumers into traps such as bogus online stores, misleading social media ads, and gift card schemes. 

 

Protect Yourself This Holiday Season

 

To help consumers avoid falling victim to holiday shopping traps, Attorney General Brown offers these essential tips:

 

Research the retailer. Check online reviews to verify the business has a good reputation and satisfied customers. Look for easy ways to contact customer service – if you can’t find clear contact information, consider shopping elsewhere.

 

Keep your payment information secure. Always type the retailer’s web address directly into your browser. Web searches can lead to fake or look-alike websites. Never send personal information or payments through websites whose addresses don’t begin with “https” – the “s” means your information is secure.

 

Be wary about clicking advertisements. Scammers frequently use social media ads and emails to lure consumers to fake websites designed to steal personal and financial information or release malware into your computer.

 

Avoid potential pitfalls with gift cards. Gift cards sold by individuals or at auction sites often turn out to be stolen or counterfeit. Buy gift cards directly from the company’s website or a physical store. When purchasing in-store, ensure packaging is intact and the PIN hasn’t been scratched off. Be especially cautious with emails, pop-ups, or websites offering FREE gift cards – these often steal personal information or credit card numbers. Read more about gift cards and Maryland consumer protections in our Gift Cards Consumer’s Edge publication.

 

Giving Tuesday and Charitable Donations

 

Scammers also exploit donors’ generosity during the holiday season. Before donating:

 

• Verify the charity is registered with the Maryland Secretary of State’s Office;
• Check resources like GuideStar and Charity Navigator for information on an organization’s financials and mission; and 
• Be skeptical of urgent appeals and high-pressure tactics. 

 

Read more about safe charitable giving in the Attorney General’s “Keeping Your Eyes Open When Donating to Charities” Consumer’s Edge.

 

How Maryland’s Consumer Protection Division Helps

 

Attorney General Brown’s Consumer Protection Division (CPD) works year-round to protect Maryland families from fraud and deceptive business practices. This year alone, the CPD has:

 

• Secured the largest restitution ever obtained in a landlord-tenant case – an $11.2 million settlement that provided debt forgiveness and cash payments to hundreds of Marylanders;
• Ordered a Maryland home builder to pay over $1 million in penalties and restitution for running a Ponzi-like scheme that left families without homes or their savings;
• Recovered $314,000 from an athletic equipment seller who took payments from school teams and nonprofits without delivering the promised equipment; and 
• Obtained a settlement with a major retailer for deceptive membership practices and unauthorized billing.

 

The CPD mediates consumer complaints, investigates fraud and deceptive practices, and takes legal action against businesses that violate Maryland’s Consumer Protection Act – last year, the CPD helped recover millions of dollars for Maryland consumers. In addition, CPD issues consumer alerts and publications. Visit at https://oag.maryland.gov/resources-info/Pages/publications-and-fact-sheets.aspx for a full list of these publications – consumers are encouraged to download, reproduce, and share them. 

 

Consumers who believe they’ve been victims of fraud can file complaints by calling the Consumer Protection Division hotline at (410) 528-8662 or toll-free at (888) 743-0023.

 

For the latest information on scams, fraud, and consumer news, follow the Office of Attorney General on Facebook, Instagram, or X, and subscribe to receive consumer alerts.

 

This alert was issued to all consumers who have subscribed to receive consumer information from our office. Consumers can subscribe to this list here: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/MDAG/subscriber/new.

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