SAN DIEGO — Thanksgiving is just two weeks away and scammers are gearing up for their busiest time of the year. Local law enforcement explain how to avoid being a victim.
Whether it be an online scam or in-person, it's better to be safe than sorry. A San Diego man recently captured a photo of a person holding a sign allegedly raising money for a funeral. Police say funeral scams are one of many popping up right now.
"We're aware we've seen some of it on social media and we have heard about a couple of them directly," said Anthony Molina, sergeant and public information officer for the Chula Vista Police Department.
He scammers may try to pull on your heart strings or make a situation feel urgent.
"We urge the public to take those extra steps, those extra measures to investigate something before giving your hard earned money away," he said.
Nearly half of U.S. consumers say they've been targeted by a scam while online holiday shopping, according to a new report by Norton. If you fall victim, it's import to alert police and report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission.
"Take the time to report it to the FTC through their website. What that does is cross record to the FBI and helps on a national level to keep track of trends and track information for some organizations operating in a bigger way," he said.
Chula Vista residents can now report certain scams online, eliminating the need for phone calls or in-person visits. Find more information, here.
"If someone was the victim of a crime or scam where they don't know who the suspect was, as long as it's under $10,000 they can report through online reporting," he said.
He says being alert, aware and listening to your intuition is the best way to protect yourself this holiday season.