PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Holiday markets and craft fairs are aplenty this holiday season.
Some of those events moved online this year because of COVID-19 and some are just trying to scam you.
On Day 10 of our 12 Scams of Christmas, we explain what you need to do before you sign up for a virtual holiday event.
If you want to get into the holiday spirit without leaving your house, just search Facebook for a virtual holiday pop-up event, and you'll find plenty.
Most of them are free until you buy something during the event, and others may try to charge you up front and that could be a red flag, according to experts.
Some scammers are even creating fake event pages and charging admission.
"Typically when it's a scam, people are signing up for the event, and it never happens," Kelsey Coleman, the director of communications at the Better Business Bureau for Metro Philly and Eastern Pennsylvania said.
The goal is to steal credit card information, according to Coleman. That's why virtual holiday pop-up events made the Better Business Bureau's "12 Scams of Christmas."
"Make sure the event has a legitimate contact person that you can communicate with, and if it's a new event in your area, make sure the website looks legitimate," Coleman said.
If you find an event you like that is charging a fee, look for similar events and see if those are free.
If there is a charge and you did your homework to make sure it's real, Coleman says, pay with a credit card instead of debit, just in case.
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