Donna J. Jodhan is a world renowned advocate, author, blogger, sight loss coach, dinner mystery writer and producer, entrepreneur, law graduate, and podcast commentator.
Donna has been in the business since 2000 and her many roles have allowed her to recognize that there is a growing need for consumers and clients to be made aware of some of the most dangerous and popular scams.
Donna herself has been unwittingly scammed over the years a few times and now she is using her skills, experience, knowledge, and expertise to help others avoid pitfalls and heartache.
And as a vision impaired professional and person she is ready to help you stay ahead!
Donna knows only too well how much we all need to work overtime to protect the most vulnerable from those unscrupulous scammers!
Please read her latest suite of scams and she would love to hear from you with your own feedback.
November tends to bring a spike in scams tied to holidays, travel, shopping, and tax/benefit deadlines. Three especially common ones to watch for are:
1.
Fake package delivery & shopping scams
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You get a text or email saying a package couldn’t be delivered, especially around early holiday shopping.
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It usually includes a link asking you to “confirm your address” or pay a tiny “redelivery fee.”
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The real goal is stealing your credit card info or passwords.
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Red flags:
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Weird links or spelling mistakes
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Pressure to act fast
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Requests for payment via gift cards, crypto, or e-transfer
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Safer move: go directly to the shipping company’s official site or app instead of tapping the message link.
2.
Halloween-related scams
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Fake costume shops, event tickets, haunted attraction pages, or “too good to be true” decorations pop up online in October.
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Some scammers also target kids and teens through fake giveaway contests on social media.
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Red flags:
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Massive discounts on hard-to-find items
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Brand-new websites with no reviews
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Social media ads leading to sketchy checkout pages
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Safer move: use well-known retailers and check reviews before buying.
3.
Charity and disaster relief scams
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Fall storm season and year-end fundraising campaigns create opportunities for fake charities.
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Scammers may call, text, or DM asking for urgent donations after hurricanes, floods, or international crises.
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Red flags:
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High-pressure emotional appeals
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Requests for cash apps, gift cards, or wire transfers
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Names that sound almost like real charities
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Safer move: donate directly through verified charity websites.
A few bonus October scams that also spike:
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Fake CRA/IRS tax messages before filing/payment deadlines
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“Seasonal job” scams for holiday hiring
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Romance scams that increase around lonely-season marketing
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Phishing emails pretending to be from schools or universities during the fall semester
A good rule: if a message creates urgency, secrecy, or panic, pause before clicking anything.
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Contact info:
Visit our websites at http://www.sterlingcreations.ca
http://www.donnajodhan.com
http://www.sterlingcreations.com
Email us at donnajodhan@sterlingcreations.ca
Or call us at 416 491-7711