Scammers Target Holiday Shoppers, Donors in Texas
Better Business Bureau Heart of Texas warns that distracted shoppers, travelers and charitable givers face rising online fraud this season.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Better Business Bureau Heart of Texas warned that scammers are targeting distracted holiday shoppers, travelers and charitable donors. More than 900 online scam reports from October to December 2025 totaled $720,000 in losses.
Why it matters
Scammers focus on people under pressure to find deals, and the 35% jump in reports from November to December 2025 shows the risk grows as the season peaks. Knowing the common tactics can help Texans avoid losing money.
Online scam reports from October to December 2025 exceeded 900 and produced $720,000 in losses, while travel scams average $5,700 per victim. The extraction does not show how these figures compare with prior holiday seasons.
The players
Better Business Bureau Heart of Texas
A regional chapter of the Better Business Bureau that tracks consumer complaints and publishes scam alerts for residents across Texas.
The details
Scammers impersonate charities, offer fake retailer coupons and giveaways, and run gift-exchange schemes that require recruiting others. Phishing texts and emails posing as retailers or shippers are designed to collect log-in information, while unfamiliar websites and ads mimic legitimate sellers.
Timeline
October 2025 to December 2025: More than 900 online scam reports resulting in $720,000 in losses were recorded.
November 2025 to December 2025: Scam reports jumped 35% over this period.
Seasonal Patterns
The 35% rise in reports from November to December 2025 tracks with the seasonal scam spikes captured in the BBB Scam Tracker database at bbb.org/scamtracker. Charitable giving and travel bookings concentrate in the same window, widening the target pool for fraudsters.
Consumers should verify a charity at give.org before donating and check retailer coupons and shipping texts directly with the company. Reporting suspected scams at bbb.org/scamtracker helps the BBB track fraud patterns.
The takeaway
Verify charities and retailers before paying, since urgency and deals that seem too good to be true are common warning signs. A quick check at the BBB website can prevent a costly holiday mistake.
Further reading
Learn more about how donors can vet nonprofits in the Philanthropy section.
More information
Report a suspected scam or research a company through the BBB scam reporting and research tool.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Midland Reporter-Telegram.
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Do you feel more confident spotting online shopping scams than you did last year?
