Don’t Fall for These Holiday Shopping Email Scams

Don’t Fall for These Holiday Shopping Email Scams

By Greg Collier

It starts with an innocent email in your inbox—maybe from “PayPal,” maybe from “Geek Squad.” It says you’ve just spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars on something you never bought. A cosmic-orange iPhone. A renewal you don’t remember approving.

Panic hits first. Logic comes later. And that’s exactly what scammers are counting on.

What’s Going On:

Two holiday phishing emails are making the rounds this season, each designed to trigger fear and force you into acting fast.

The first pretends to be from PayPal, claiming you purchased an iPhone 17 for $1,399. It’s riddled with red flags—missing punctuation, “PAYPALACCOUNT” in all caps, and a fake contact number with an 808 area code (Hawaii, not PayPal headquarters). The outrageous price is the bait, meant to shock you into calling before thinking.

The second email impersonates Best Buy’s Geek Squad, warning your “Geek Squad Care” plan will auto-renew for $399.84 unless you cancel immediately. Again, that same Hawaii area code appears—an obvious mismatch for a national company.

Even though these errors seem obvious on a desktop screen, they’re harder to spot on a phone, which is where most people read their email—and where scammers thrive.

Why It’s Effective:

The holiday rush is prime hunting season. People are distracted, busy, and shopping online more than ever. The scammers weaponize your anxiety about unauthorized purchases. Fear of fraud makes even savvy users slip.

According to Atlanta News First, PayPal has seen so many of these scams that it now maintains a dedicated page explaining how to verify and report fake messages.

Red Flags:

  • Emails claiming you bought an item you didn’t order.
  • Urgent language about “auto-renewals” or “account verification.”
  • Typos, awkward grammar, or missing “.com” in official logos.
  • Phone numbers that don’t match the company’s location (like 808 = Hawaii).
  • Demands for quick action to avoid a charge.

Remember: real companies do not pressure you to call, click, or pay immediately.

What You Can Do:

  • Don’t panic. Delete the email without clicking any links.
  • Verify independently. Go to the company’s official website or app to check your account.
  • Don’t call numbers listed in suspicious messages.
  • Report phishing directly to the company (PayPal, Best Buy, etc.) and to the FTC.
  • Educate friends and family—especially those who shop online frequently.

If You’ve Been Targeted:

Disconnect any device you interacted with the scam on, run antivirus scans, and change your passwords. If you entered payment info, contact your bank immediately to freeze or dispute fraudulent charges.

Final Thoughts:

This year’s scammers are getting smarter—and even using AI to make fake emails and phone numbers look more convincing. But that same technology can help you fight back. When Atlanta News First tested one of these emails with an AI detector, it correctly flagged it as a scam and explained why.

The lesson? Stay skeptical, slow down, and verify before you react.

Because in the season of giving, scammers are counting on you to give them exactly what they want: your trust.

Received a suspicious holiday email or “purchase confirmation”? Share your experience below or forward this post to someone who shops online often. Staying alert saves money—and peace of mind.

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