Stay Alert: Protect Yourself from Holiday Phishing and Scams

Ann Miller |

As the holiday season approaches, we want to remind you to stay vigilant against an increase in phishing emails, fraudulent phone calls, and other scams targeting financial information. Cybercriminals often take advantage of this busy time of year to exploit unsuspecting individuals.

 

What to Watch For:

  • Phishing Emails: These often look like legitimate messages from financial institutions or retailers. They may ask you to click on links or provide personal information, such as account numbers, passwords, or Social Security details.
  • Fraudulent Calls: Scammers may impersonate representatives from Charles Schwab or other financial organizations, pressuring you to share sensitive information.
  • Urgent communications. Fraudsters may contact you via phone, email, text, or social media, claiming that your account is at risk. They create a false sense of urgency, pressuring you to act quickly to click a link, call a “customer service” number, or grant them remote access. These actions can lead to stolen credentials and personal information or to malware being installed on your device.
  • Fake websites. Scammers use search engine optimization (SEO) tactics to make fraudulent websites appear at the top of search results. These fake sites look like trusted ones (such as schwab.com) but are designed to capture your login credentials when you attempt to sign in. They may also display fake fraud alerts, asking you to contact the institution via fraudulent phone numbers or email addresses.


Important Reminder:
Charles Schwab will never send you an email or call you to request personal or financial information, account credentials, or verification codes. If you receive such a request, it’s likely a scam.


How to Protect Yourself:

  1. Verify phone numbers independently. Don't trust caller ID—scammers can spoof legitimate contact numbers. Reach out to the real institution, using verified phone numbers from trusted sources like the official website, your account statement, or the number on the back of your credit or debit card.
  2. Avoid Clicking Links: Avoid clicking links in emails, texts, or messaging apps. Access your accounts directly through the institution’s official website or mobile app.
  3. Enable Two-Factor Authentication: Enhance account security by using two-factor authentication where available. This provides an extra layer of protection.
  4. Bookmark official websites. To avoid fake websites in search results, bookmark the official URLs of sites you use regularly (such as schwaballiance.com) instead of searching each time.
  5. Protect your personal information. Never share passwords, account numbers, or one-time security codes with anyone who contacts you unexpectedly. Sharing sensitive information may compromise your account
  6. Monitor Accounts Regularly: Review your account activity for any unauthorized transactions.


If you believe you’ve been targeted by a scam or suspect fraudulent activity, please let us know immediately so that we can safe guard your accounts. You can also visit SchwabSafe® for additional tips on safeguarding your information.

 

Your security is our priority. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any concerns or questions.