MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. – A lot of money flies around this time of year and with the rise in online shopping, so does a lot of personal information. There are, however, ways you can protect yourself and your money from those seeking to take advantage of the merry season.

While the holidays and New Year are often a joyous time, research suggests there’s an increase in scammers targeting consumers. According to a 2024 AARP report, 82% of U.S. consumers have experienced or been targeted by at least one form of holiday fraud.

From gift cards to identity theft and the financial exploitation of older people, online shoppers like Sandino Sanchez warn others not to fall victim to scams.

“I just deal with the large franchises,” Sanchez said. “I really don’t venture out looking for a better price.”

When it comes to shopping, Sanchez said if a deal looks too good to be true, chances are it’s a scam.

“Keep your transactions simple with vendors or banks that you normally go to,” Sanchez said.

When it comes to protecting assets and credit scores, Stephen Robert, CEO of Bedrock Credit America, said it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“I remind people all of the time, especially this time of year, to constantly be going to creditreport.com and doing credit checks to make sure that everything looks good,” Robert said.

He suggests consumers check their credit to ensure no new accounts were opened in their name to be sure expenses are being reported accurately.

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, scams targeting individuals aged 60 and older totaled more than $3.4 billion in 2023.

As a result, credit repair specialists like Robert suggest seeking professional help if you are a victim of identity theft.

“There’s other situations where things have slipped into being charged into collections,” Robert said. “The first instinct is let me start calling and negotiating settlements, thinking it’s going to help, and that’s the worst possible thing to do.”

You can report fraud by contacting your credit bureau(s), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the Consumer Response Center at 877-382-4357.