WRAL 5 On Your Side: Top holiday scams and how to avoid them

INCLUDING THE WORLD'S LARGEST

DRONE MAKER DJI.

WHETHER IT'S A DRAIN GIFT CARD,

A PRESIDENT THAT NEVER ARRIVES

OR FINDING OUT. IT'S A FAKE

PUPPY PULLING AT YOUR

HEARTSTRINGS. DON'T LET A

SCAMMING GRINCH STEAL YOUR

CHRISTMAS 5 ON YOUR SIDE'S

KEELY. ARTHUR HAS A RUNDOWN OF

THE TOP HOLIDAY SCAMS AND HOW

TO AVOID THAT.

>> SCAMMERS DON'T SUDDENLY TAKE

A BREAK TO SPREAD JOY DURING

THE HOLIDAY SEASON. HERE ARE

SOME SCAMS TO WATCH OUT FOR

THIS TIME OF YEAR. AND IF

YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT ADDING A

FURRY FRIEND TO YOUR FAMILY,

DON'T GET RIPPED OFF BY A PUPPY

SCAM. THAT'S HORRIBLE. JUST OF

STEEL THOUGHT HE WAS GETTING

THIS ADORABLE PUPPY FOR HIS

MOTHER. HE FOUND THE SO-CALLED

BREEDER ON FACEBOOK AND SENT A

$300 DEPOSIT WHEN IT CAME TIME

TO GET THE DOG. THERE WAS A

BIG PROBLEM AND TOLD US THAT WE

HAD TO PAY $150 MORE.

>> JUST TO GO OUT THERE AND

HAVE THE DOG DELIVER TO OUR

HOUSE. AND I LIKE THAT'S NOT

HAPPENING. OFFICIALS WITH THE

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU SAY

THAT'S A RED FLAG.

>> THEY START TACKING ON MORE

CHARGES FOR A HEATED CRATE OR

FOR TRANSPORTATION.

>> BEFORE SENDING MONEY

RESEARCH, THE BREEDER IN READ

REVIEWS. DO LET SCROOGE DRAIN

YOUR GIFT CARDS. THIS IS WHEN

SOMEONE STEALS THE CARDS INFO

BEFORE IT'S SOLD IN TAKES THE

MONEY. ONCE THE CARD IS

ACTIVATED BY CARDS DIRECTLY

FROM THE RETAILER AND ALWAYS

GET THE RECEIPT. IF YOU RECEIVE

GIFT CARDS, TREAT THEM LIKE

CASH AND SPEND THEM AS SOON

AS POSSIBLE. BE VERY CAREFUL

WHEN SCROLLING AND SHOPPING ON

SOCIAL MEDIA, A LITTLE RESEARCH

ON THE RETAILER COULD SAVE YOU

LOTS OF MONEY. BE SURE TO CHECK

REVIEWS ON SEARCH ENGINES,

PLUG-IN THE WORD SCAM OR FRAUD

NEXT TO THE RETAILER AND MAKE

SURE IT'S THE REAL DEAL.

WATCH OUT FOR LOW PRICES TO

THAT SEEM TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.

A LOT OF TIMES WE GET THESE

REPORTS AFTER THE HOLIDAYS

BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T RECEIVE

THE ITEM.

>> OR THEY RECEIVED THE WRONG

ITEM AND CAN'T RETURN IT OR

THEIR CREDIT CARD WAS CHARGED

MORE THAN THEY THOUGHT. JUST A

FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND TO

ENSURE YOUR HOLIDAYS ARE FILLED

WITH MARY MEANT AND FREE OF