Idaho’s Attorney General Says Christmas Scams Are Rampant

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that no one would try to steal my information and yank everything out of my bank account just a few days before Christmas."

Who could forget that classic line?

So, um, what's this about Christmas scams? What am I looking out for, precisely?

According to Idaho's Attorney General Raúl Labrador, a lot:

The holidays, unfortunately, bring out the worst in criminals who exploit our community’s generosity. We can’t allow scams to undermine legitimate charities or the people who depend on them. It’s up to all of us to stay informed and make smart decisions about our donations.

AG Labrador is encouraging Idahoans to be vigilant this holiday season, and to be on the look out for all types of scams, including:

• Organizations that initially reach out to you for a donation
• Anyone asking for donations in gift cards or crypto
• Clicking fraudulent links in emails? Want to help? Go directly to the charity's website
• Giving bank information over the phone, text, or email

There are more helpful tips at ReportScamsIdaho.com, which is precisely what it sounds like.

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It's not just Christmas-adjacent scams you need to be on the lookout for this holiday season. Don't forget that this is prime time for tax scammers to try and get you as well.

Here's a guideline to help you avoid any evildoers getting their hands on your taxes in 2026.

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This might help as well. It's a list of a bunch of area codes that you may want to avoid entirely when they call, as it's probably a scammer: