Crypto Kiosk Fraud Leads Our List of 12 Scams of Christmas

The holiday season is primetime for criminals to prey on your generosity to scam you out of your hard-earned money, and their methods are getting more sophisticated every year. Scammers will use any reason to try to steal your personal information and pick your pocket. That’s why we are highlighting the “12 scams of Christmas” – a dozen common fraud attempts that criminals often employ over the holidays, with tips on how you can avoid each one of them.

We’ll start with something called Cryptocurrency Kiosk Scams, as we at AARP WI will be working with partners, law enforcement, and lawmakers to pass legislation in 2026 that will help protect consumers from this particular type of fraud.

Cryptocurrency kiosks – also known as Bitcoin ATMs – have become a preferred payment method for scammers. These machines offer a fast and difficult-to-trace way to steal money from victims. You’ll find them in everyday places like gas stations, convenience stores, bars, and restaurants, and they often resemble traditional bank ATMs. However, these crypto kiosks lack sufficient consumer fraud protection. As a result, criminals are using them to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from Wisconsinites and Americans through scams.

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To date, 17 states have passed laws to protect consumers from crypto kiosk scams, including neighboring states like Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa. If Wisconsin doesn’t do the same, criminals will take advantage and send victims to the machines here.

We want to put a stop to that. We want to see legislation introduced that would increase consumer protections when using these kiosks. In the meantime, stay vigilant. If anyone sends you a text or email claiming you owe money and need to pay them via a crypto kiosk, chances are almost 100 percent that it’s a scam.

 
 

Here are 11 other holiday scams to be on the lookout for:

AI has allowed criminals to make these scams more realistic than ever with “deepfake” videos. With this technology, criminals create videos that look and sound like a celebrity is asking you to take an action, but it is actually computer generated. People might tend to trust the faces and voices of famous people because they recognize them as celebrities, but this is a scam.

What should you do? Posting on a celebrity's social media account might be exciting, but it could put you at risk. When it comes to your favorite celebs, recognize that an offer to connect with them personally is almost assuredly a scam. Just don’t do it.

 
 

Holiday shopping, like most shopping these days, has moved online, posing unique risks. Scammers set up professional-looking websites offering popular items at a deep discount. When you make the purchase, nothing arrives, or the product you receive is not what was advertised.

What should you do? Be cautious of prices far below market value, and avoid clicking on ads in emails, texts or social media – they could take you to fake websites. The safest way to shop online is to go directly to a trusted retailer’s official website or app. And when possible, use a credit card, which gives you stronger consumer protection than other payment methods.

These scams start with a text claiming your package is on hold because of an issue. They can claim to be from the U.S. Postal Service, UPS or FedEx, and they include a link to a website. Once you go to that site, you’ll be asked to verify personal information or pay a postage or delivery fee. Don’t fall for it. There are criminals hiding behind these texts.

What should you do? To avoid these scams you should never click on links or call phone numbers from random text messages. If you think there is an issue with a package you’ve ordered, go directly to the retailer’s website or call the retailer at a known phone number and check it out for yourself. You should also keep track of which packages you have ordered and when they are expected to be delivered.

This is the season of giving, but telling the difference between a real charity and a con can be a challenge. Legitimate charities make a push at year-end for last-minute donations. Scammers know this and make their own push to line their pockets with your hard-earned cash. They are hoping to profit from your Christmas spirit and generosity.

What should you do? Research the charity on websites such as give.org, CharityNavigator.org or CharityWatch.org to make sure it’s legit and find out what percentage of their donations are actually used to serve their mission. If a charity sounds suspicious, it probably is. If you think it’s legitimate, do some background work on your own to verify its authenticity before you donate any money.

 

Gift cards on store racks are easy prey for criminals, who can grab the cards, record the numbers off the back and return the cards to the rack. You should always buy gift cards directly from the cashier behind the counter, where other shoppers don’t have free access.

What should you do? When you get a gift card, check the balance, take a picture of it, and use it sooner rather than later. Scammers also prefer gift cards as a form of payment from their victims. If anyone asks you to pay with a pre-paid gift card, cut them off. It’s a scam.


 

Who doesn’t want to give their loved ones the perfect holiday gift of a pet? But the desire to create a memory may lead to a scam they won’t soon forget, because scammers copy pet photos from websites and get you to make a purchase simply by tugging at your heartstrings.

What should you do? Shop locally for your pet. Meet the breeder in person or tour their facility so you know it is legit. A seller that invents reasons why you can’t pick the pet up in person shouldn’t be trusted.


 

Criminals are putting a new twist on romance scams, using them to engage victims in elaborate crypto-investment schemes. These relationships often begin with an errant text message that evolves into a trusted relationship, eventually leading to “investment advice” in cryptocurrency.

What should you do? Be on guard for these types of texts – don’t’ respond and block the number. And if someone you only know online tells you they are making money investing in crypto and offers to teach you how, it’s a scam – full stop. One warning sign is when the person says they’d like to meet you in person but then keeps coming up with excuses and reasons why they can’t meet you. They are only after your money – not your affection.

More and more people are doing their holiday shopping online, but we’ve all seen the videos on the news of bold criminals stealing packages right off the front doorsteps of people’s homes – often during broad daylight. We call these thieves porch pirates. They will wait for packages to be delivered, see that you aren’t home to bring the packages indoors, then simply go up to your porch and steal the items.

What should you do? Avoid porch pirates by seeing if your packages can be held by the shipper in a nearby location, such as a friend or neighbor who is home during the day. You can also have the item placed in a secure location on your property or be delivered to a UPS or Amazon drop box. All of these options are better than having a valuable package sit on your doorstep for hours while you’re not home. Crooks will see that as an opportunity and even an invitation for theft.

Scammers pose as fraud investigators from your bank, first sending a text about suspicious activity, then calling to claim your account is compromised and urging you to move your money to "protect" it. They seem credible because they use personal information about you, often obtained from data breaches, social media posts, or purchased from hackers.

What should you do? An immediate call from your bank after a text like this is a fraud attempt. If concerned, contact your bank using a trusted number from a recent statement or by logging into your account.

Criminals impersonating utility companies may threaten to cut off your electric, gas or water service if payment isn’t made immediately. They create a sense of urgency so that you’ll act quickly to pay the alleged past-due balance.

What should you do? If you get a surprise call from someone claiming to be from a “utility company,” hang up and contact your actual utility company to see if there is a problem with your account. No company will demand immediate payment, and utilities in Wisconsin are not allowed to shut off service between November and March.

Many New Year’s Resolutions include finding a new work-from-home job. Criminals know this and advertise fake jobs the same way honest employers do. But what they really want is your money and personal information.

What should you do? Be wary of job postings that promise high pay with little experience or require upfront fees for training or materials. And before providing any personal details, always research the company thoroughly to confirm it’s legitimate.




If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam. Learn more at aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork